I Am Invited to a Party! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)

When Piggie receives her first-ever party invitation, she turns to her cautious friend Gerald for guidance on what to wear, launching them into a whirlwind of outfit changes. Gerald's anxiety about party types—fancy, pool, or costume—leads the duo through increasingly absurd wardrobe combinations that perfectly capture childhood party dilemmas. Willems masterfully builds anticipation through simple dialogue and expressive illustrations that convey more emotion than most chapter books. This early reader transforms a universal childhood milestone into pure comic gold.

The genius lies in how Willems uses limited vocabulary and repetitive phrasing to create maximum humor and emotional resonance between these two opposite personalities. Children will recognize their own social anxieties in Gerald's overpreparation and Piggie's trusting nature, making the final party reveal both surprising and deeply satisfying. This standout entry in the series demonstrates why Elephant and Piggie have become essential friends for emerging readers navigating their own social worlds.