Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Title: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Author: Mo Willems
Illustrator: Mo Willems
Caldecott Honor (2004)

After only being exposed to a few of his stories, I am already a huge fan of Mo Willems and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is no exception. The story begins with a bus driver leaving the reader in control of his bus while he is gone. The task is simple: don’t let the pigeon drive the bus. However, this task isn’t as simple as it seems when there is a persistent pigeon badgering you at the turn of each page! Personally, I found the book to be hilarious and I think kids, especially younger ones, would too. The illustrations really make the story and add so much drama and action to the simple text. Even I found myself chuckling at some of the ridiculous faces the pigeon makes.

I would without a doubt include a copy of this book in my classroom library. It’s simple, short, easy to read, humorous, and engages the reader especially when read aloud. Though I don’t see any instructional activities that could come as a result of reading this book, I do see it as the perfect text for circle time in the primary grades. This would be an excellent book to read right when the kids get back from lunch and to settle them into an afternoon of learning as it would give them nice break from the curriculum.