2014
WISE Score
Amazon
Gerald the Elephant learns that the best things in life are worth the agonizing, soul-crushing wait—even if he has to groan a lot to get there.
4.8
4.8View →Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
Mo Willems is the gold standard for early childhood literature for a reason. This isn't some preachy book about 'having patience'; it's a hilarious look at how much waiting actually blows.
Gerald's oversized reactions are exactly how kids feel internally, which makes the calm, beautiful ending hit even harder. It's a mandatory addition to any kid's library and one of the rare 'read it again' books that won't make you want to hide under the bed.
Ideal for the 3–7 crowd. It's simple enough for a preschooler to follow but funny enough that a first-grader won't feel like they're reading a 'baby book.'
It captures the raw, relatable frustration of a child (or an elephant) trying to be patient. The friendship between Gerald and Piggie is supportive and emotionally honest without being sugary.
Mo Willems uses minimalist illustrations to let the reader's anticipation build alongside Gerald's. The 'surprise' at the end is a beautiful shift in perspective that encourages kids to look at the world differently.
Completely safe. It's a gentle, humorous early reader book with zero questionable content.
It tackles delayed gratification—a high-level executive function—in a way that's actually funny. It’s also a massive confidence booster for kids just learning to decode text.
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