Stories for Growing
Cover of I Really Like Slop!Ages 4 to 8
Disagreeing kindlySeeing other perspectives

I Really Like Slop!

Mo Willems

Ages 4 to 8
About this age guidance

Kirkus: 4–8 (early reader); Amazon listing: 3–7

The age tag follows Kirkus review. Other sources may suggest different ages. This is audience guidance, not an independent reading level.

A librarian’s starred review calls it Willems’s answer to Green Eggs and Ham and says kids will love the humor, with parents getting a chance to say that trying new food is good even if it tastes like slop.

Piggie is proud of her bowl of slop, which pigs love. Gerald the elephant is disgusted by it, and Piggie is hurt. Gerald tries a small taste, finds it awful, and tells Piggie honestly that he does not like it but is glad he tried it because he likes her.

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What children see in the story

Gerald and Piggie differ about slop. Gerald does not hide that he dislikes it, but he says so kindly and makes clear the friendship matters more than the taste. Piggie’s love of slop is part of who she is, and Gerald gives her view a real try even though it is hard for him.

Why it’s on these shelves

Disagreeing kindly
Piggie loves her bowl of slop, and Gerald does not. After one small taste he tells her the truth, that he does not really like it, but he says he is glad he tried it because he really likes her.
Seeing other perspectives
Piggie says pigs really love slop. Gerald turns his trunk up at the smell, but when he sees how hurt she is, he takes her favorite food seriously enough to try a small taste.

Why pick it up?

Gerald tastes the slop, says honestly that he does not like it, and Piggie is pleased by what he says about their friendship.

A note for parents

Screened for whether Gerald’s reluctance and Piggie’s insistence are handled respectfully: sources show Piggie asking and being hurt, not forcing; Gerald decides to try a small taste, and his honest dislike is accepted. Low flag kept for transparency. Kirkus reads it as friendship plus trying new things plus cross-cultural understanding. We shelve it on kind disagreement (honest difference, kindly handled) and perspectives. Sonderbooks mentions a punchline about dessert after the ending; no source says what it is.

Where this recommendation comes from

Sonderbooks

A librarian’s starred review calls it Willems’s answer to Green Eggs and Ham and says kids will love the humor, with parents getting a chance to say that trying new food is good even if it tastes like slop.

Read Sonderbooks’s recommendation
Sources and review status

We have checked source descriptions and drafted the value mapping. We have not personally reviewed the full book. The value labels, situation assignments, and parent notes remain provisional.

Publisher or literacy resource · Original recommendation

Our explanation of the value fit is separate from the original reviewer’s judgment. Their inclusion here does not imply an endorsement of Stories for Growing.

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