DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! by Mo Willems

1. Bibliography

Willems, Mo. 2003. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!. Singapore: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 078681988X

2. Plot Summary

A bus driver has to leave for a little while and asks the audience not to let the pigeon drive the bus while he is away. Once the driver is gone Pigeon proceeds to pester, plead, beg, and convince his way into driving the bus. He uses any means available to him to convince the reader to let him have his way. In the end, Pigeon's ambition is left unrealized and the bus driver returns. However, when all hope seems lost the irrepressible pigeon finds a new focus for his aspirations, driving a big shiny red semi-truck.

3. Critical Analysis

Pigeon is the perpetually frustrated embodiment of childhood. He has big hopes and dreams of driving a bus, but the bus driver and the audience doggedly deny him this overly ambitious wish. Mo Willems captures the ambition, pugnacity, creativity, and frustration of childhood in his iconic character, Pigeon. Writing half of a two way dialogue, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! draws readers into the plight of Pigeon, a stand in for the everyman preschooler, and demands them to be part of his experience.

Using deceptively simple illustrations and beautiful, muted colors, Willems creates a character children will want to draw on their own and adopt into their own imaginative creations. Willems' sparse illustrations of Pigeon simply drawn on an ever changing background of earth toned color emphasize the intimate conversational relationship between the audience and Pigeon. There are no visual or descriptive distractions to pull away from the intensity of this important conversation.  The conversational text and the intimate illustrations work in harmony to draw readers into the world of Pigeon and help to forge an unforgettable relationship.  Pigeon is a relatable, likable character that adults and children alike will grow to love.

4. Awards Won and Review Excerpt(s)

2004 Caldecott Honor Book

American Library Association Notable Book for Children

National Council of Teachers Notable Book

Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books)

Starred Review in School Library Journal: “A brilliantly simple book that is absolutely true to life.”

Booklist: “Preschoolers will howl over the pigeon's dramatics, even as they recognize that he wheedles, blows up, and yearns to be powerful just like they do.”

5. Connections

*Look at the illustrations of Pigeon and describe the different emotions he expresses through his facial and body language. Analise the illustrations and discuss how the pigeon's face was drawn to express each emotion (Willems and Freeman 2012).

*Write out a variety of your own responses to Pigeon's entreaties to drive the bus. Share your responses (Willems and Freeman 2012).

*Think about a time you really wanted to do or have something, but your parents or guardians said you couldn’t have it.  Create your own “Pigeon” book – drawing pictures of yourself or Pigeon as the main character and asking the invisible audience if you can have the item or experience. See how many ways and arguments you can think of to get what you want.

*Other books by Mo Willems:

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!. ISBN 0786837462

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!. ISBN 0786818697

We are in a Book! An elephant & Piggy Book. ISBN 1423133080

The Duckling Gets a Cookie?!. ISBN 140634009X

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. ISBN 0786818700

*Other books about emotions:

Patricelli, Leslie. Baby Happy, Baby Sad. ISBN 9780763632458

Aliki. Feelings. ISBN 0688038328

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Amazing Faces: Poems. ISBN 1600603343

References

Willems, Mo and Judy Freeman. The Pigeon Teacher's Guide. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. Accessed on June 2012. http://www.pigeonpresents.com/teachersguides/pigeon_teachguide.pdf.