“A Big Guy Took My Ball,” by Mo Willems.
Hyperion Books for Children, New York, 2013, 57 pages, Grades 2-3.
Bullying is a serious problem in American schools. It can occur at the elementary or upper-grade levels. Recently, there has been a great deal of programming to reduce bullying in schools and these plans seem to have been somewhat effective.
In this book, Mo Willems presents the normal problems associated with bullying and readers understand its problems. It is never acceptable. But in the inimitable way that he has, Mo Williams adds a humorous conclusion to the story that will leave readers laughing. The name of this delightful book is, “A Big Guy Took My Ball.”
Gerald the elephant and Piggie are best friends. One day Piggie comes running to Gerald, crying. Some big guy has taken her big ball. Piggie says that she is so little that she couldn’t stop the big guy. She asks why the big guys have all the fun.
Gerald becomes angry when he hears that his friend has been hurt. So he sets out to make things right. After all, he is an elephant and has great size. Who does this big guy think he is? Well, Gerald is going to show him. Nobody takes his friend’s ball away!
As he resolutely trudges off to battle the big guy, Piggie is thrilled. Now someone will take her side. She will have protection and justice.
The elephant keeps walking until he sees a large blue whale with a ball. Whoa! This can’t be the big guy, can it? The whale is holding a small ball in his flippers. He looks inquisitively at Gerald and doesn’t seem so threatening. Gerald’s courage begins to fade as he looks at the size of the Big Guy.
Though the whale looks lonely and friendless, Gerald decides that it is time to beat a hasty retreat. When he gets back to Piggie, she quickly realizes he has not gotten the ball back. The elephant tells her he didn’t know that the big guy was that big.
Just then, a deep voice knocks them both upside down. They look up and hear the big guy thanking them for finding his ball. Then he sorrowfully asks why no one will ever play with him. Gerald and Piggie look at each other. What should they do?
Do Gerald and Piggie play with the Big Guy? Does the Big Guy have the same problems as Gerald and Piggie? Have you ever made friends with someone you didn’t know very well? These sometimes turn into deep friendships.
So who really has the fun, the little guys, the big guys or both? To find out the answers to these questions, go to the library and check out this delightful book, “A Big Guy Took My Ball” by Mo Willems.
This books was awarded the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Medal (Dr. Seuss) in 2014. It is part of an early reading series named Elephant and Piggie. Mo Willems is a funny and insightful man. He tenderly presents Gerald and Piggie facing all the fears and delights of young children. This book and the other books in the series comfort children and make them laugh.
The books give the children strength and joy. What an unbeatable combination. I hope you get a chance to read this book or some of the other books in the series. You will enjoy them. I guarantee it.
