Let's Say Hi to Friends Who Fly!

Bibliography

Willems, Mo. 2010. Let's Say Hi to Friends Who Fly!. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780061728464

Plot Summary

This book is part of a larger Cat the Cat series. Mo Willems uses a recurring character, Cat the Cat, to explore the abilities of four animals. Three of these animals can fly naturally (bee, bird, bat) and a fourth (rhino) uses a plane.

Critical Analysis

Mo Willems has a very clean and bright style that lends to this short quest. Throughout the book, the animals are smiling and appear to be having a fun time during their exploration of this topic. The illustrations and background are simple. This really allows the text and animals to take the focus. Additionally, through the use of a dotted line, Willems brings movement to the flying animals. Children will be enticed to trace the path of the animals with their fingers. These illustrations continue to give the feel of playfulness and happiness.

Another appealing feature of this book is large font that provides an engaging opportunity for children to read along. Through alliteration, Cat the Cat asks different animals if they can fly. For example, “Can you fly, Bat the Bat?” The next page shows the bat flying, “flutter, flutter, flutter”.  In addition to describing the attributions of each animal, the children have an opportunity to practice basic words and match them to the corresponding animal. A familiar pattern is formed after multiple animals show they can fly.

Tension is introduced when Cat the Cat asks if Rhino the Rhino can fly. The alliteration is repeated with Rhino the Rhino. The tension is relieved when the Rhino shows up in a plane. This also gives children a sense that anything is possible with the right mindset.

I would recommend this book for an emerging reader who is sitting nearby. Children will love the familiarity and repetition throughout this quest. This would be a fun book to use with younger children or with an ESL population.

Honor and Review Excerpt

This books is a:

  -  New York Times bestseller

  -  Booklist review: “Kids just beginning to be beginning readers will welcome the arrival of Cat the
     Cat and her friends.”

Connections

  -  One extension is to have children research other animals that can fly and make an extension of this 
     book.  They can use the same repetition and alliteration.

  -  Mo Willems has created other series including the Elephant and Piggie books. For this series he 
     won two Geisel medals and two Geisel honors.

  -  He has also created Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (1423145143), Knuffle Bunny 
     (0786818700), and Knuffle Bunny Too (1423102991). He has won three Caldecott Honors for these 
     books.