Piggie knows just what Gerald likes, but he’s stymied when his best efforts to cheer Gerald fail. Maybe being present as a friend is the greatest antidote to sadness. Award-winning Mo Willems masterfully leaves out everything except what is essential to present a nugget of wisdom that both pleases and instructs. Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.

Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.

Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In My Friend is Sad, elephant Gerald is down in the dumps. Piggie is determined to cheer him up by dressing as a cowboy, a clown, and even a robot! But what does it take to make a sad elephant happy? The answer will make even pessimistic elephants smile.