David loves saying “No!”
“NO” to a vegetable.
“NO” to bedtime.
“NO” to sharing.
But I do encourage him to say “NO” everytime I turn a page in the book “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”.
BOOK SUMMARY
A bus driver introduces himself, and then asks the reader for help.
“Remember,” he says, “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus, OK?”
As soon as the bus driver is off the page, a Pigeon pops up and begins to ask repeatedly if he can drive the bus.
What follows are hilarious stages in a primary school, Kubler-Ross-like meltdown:
-the Pigeon tries to bargain,
-the Pigeon tries guilt,
-the Pigeon begs for fairness,
-and in an epic two-page tantrum, the Pigeon shows ANGER!
(NOTE: This is my David’s favorite page)
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR
Mo Willems is a legend in the Picture Book Universe….a Pied Piper, a myth-maker, an American Hans Christian Andersen (without being grim).
He is a children’s book author/illustrator (over 70 books), an animator, and a voice actor with his origins beginning in Sesame Street (winning six Emmy’s for his writing).
Several of his books have received Caldecott Honors: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (2004), Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale (2005) and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity (2008)
His website (Hidden Pigeon Company) includes links to the Pigeon and Knuffle-Bunny series animations and read aloud recordings as well as links to his other book series (Elephant and Piggie, Unlimited Squirrel, Cat the Cat).
During Covid (2020), Willems was the Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence. He kept students engaged with his Lunch Doodles.
He recently gave the Commencement Address at Colby College where he read aloud his book “Me”. (Listen carefully to hear a child echo the lines of the story as Willems reads!)
IDEAL AUDIENCE
The suggested ages are 2-5 years, but this and the other Pigeon books can be enjoyed by all ages.
The interactive nature of “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” makes it great fun as a read-aloud with toddlers. After all, book is designed as a conversation:
-the bus driver asking for help,
-the Pigeon asking the reader (with his one very expressive eye) for permission,
-and the reader saying “No!”
ADDITIONAL READ -ALOUD INFORMATION
Pigeons are persistent. City dwellers can attest to their ability to avoid any deterrent.
Toddlers are persistent, too. Perhaps that character trait is part of the appeal for my David.
The Pigeon book has been a gateway to even more Pigeon books. There are 17 books to date; we now own six. David will study the back cover of each to see which ones he needs to add to his collection…and he knows where they are in the local bookstore!
ReadMeThisBook 