On the day that I was introduced to author-illustrator Mo Willems by my dear professor two years ago, I immediately became a fan. I can remember taking my then four-year old son to the library and sharing my newfound love of his literature. It didn't take long for my son to become a fan as well, nor did it take long for us to read our way through every available book of his that our library had to offer. Mo Willems has published an extensive collection of children's books, and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is one of my many favorites. Through simple, cartoon-style illustrations and minimal words, Willems quickly captures his audience from the start, where the bus driver asks the reader to not allow the pigeon to drive the bus while he steps out of the picture. The pigeon begs and pleads with the reader, which is as equally engaging as it is hilarious. Children adore Mo Willems books and are without a doubt intrigued by his simple, cartoon-like illustrations and direct discourse. 

Mo Willems stories are fun and interactive, often exploring themes of friendship and emotion. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is a great book to include in a lesson on opinion writing. (Should the pigeon drive the bus? Why or why not?)

I would love to conduct an author study on Mo Willems, allowing students to learn about and explore his craft (thought bubbles, speech bubbles, expression words, facial expressions, direction lines). There are an abundance of Mo Willems activities on Pinterest just calling my name!

Lexile Level: 280L