Families who loved Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child is struggling to include a peer who seems different, or if they are feeling like the odd one out themselves. It is a perfect choice for navigating playdates where children have varying physical abilities or simply different ways of engaging with a game. Through the lens of a high stakes game of catch, the story tackles the complex social challenge of adapting rules so everyone can participate. Elephant and Piggie want to play catch, but their new friend Snake has no arms. What follows is a humorous and heart-centered exploration of problem solving and inclusion. Mo Willems uses minimal text and expressive illustrations to model how to move past the initial awkwardness of difference toward creative collaboration. It is an essential read for preschoolers and early elementary students learning that 'fair' doesn't always mean 'the same,' and that the best games are the ones where everyone gets to play.