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Mo Willems

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Hardcover – Picture Book, January 1, 2003

by Mo Willems (Author, Illustrator)

4.8 5,270 ratings

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When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you've never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate.

In his hilarious picture book debut, popular cartoonist Mo Willems perfectly captures a preschooler's temper tantrum.

Reading age

2 - 5 years, from customers
Print length

40 pages
Language

English
Lexile measure

280L
Dimensions

9.35 x 0.45 x 9.25 inches
Publisher

Hyperion Books
Publication date

January 1, 2003
ISBN-10

078681988X
ISBN-13

978-0786819881
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Mo Willems
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Amazon Exclusive: The Pigeon: A Life in Pictures
(Click on images to enlarge)

Back in 1993, I was cartooning for a ’zine. Due to a lack of other material, we decided to make the December issue a sketchbook with just my cartoons. I have been producing small cartoon and story sketchbooks for clients and pals every year since then. In 1998, my sketchbook featured a new character, the Pigeon. Born in the margins of a 1997 notebook filled with potential picture book ideas, he was complaining that his ideas were better than mine. To mollify him, I put him in that year’s sketchbook. The original sketchbook was much longer than the final published volume, but some of the lines were the same. In late 1999, an agent essentially agreed with the Pigeon and rejected my picture book ideas. She suggested I revisit my sketchbook with an eye to turning it into a picture book. My wife was working at a school library at the time and had read the sketchbook to her kids, who had enjoyed it. So I suppose it wasn’t too crazy an idea. I started to revise the layout and work with color. At the end of 2001, after several dozen rejections because the book was “unusual,” an editor decided that “unusual” was a good thing. Plus, it made her laugh. I began reworking and rewriting. The Pigeon was now starting to look more like his mature self. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! was published in April 2003 and, to my surprise, proved to be popular quite quickly. Thankfully, that Pigeon doodle in the notebook back in 1997 was so insistent. He was right!

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hyperion Books; 1st edition (January 1, 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 078681988X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786819881
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 2 - 5 years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 280L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.35 x 0.45 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #24,328 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #92 in Children's Bird Books (Books)
- #143 in Kids & Family
- #406 in Children's Books on Emotions & Feelings (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.8 5,270 ratings

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Mo Willems

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Mo Willems (born February 11, 1968) is an American writer, animator, and creator of children's books.

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Jessica

My 5 year old loves this book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 17, 2023

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My 5 year old read this book at school and kept asking me to buy it. Finally, I did and he likes to read it everyday. He likes it so much that he asked for the entire set.

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Amanda's Mom

Perfect Book for 3 Year Old

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 27, 2023

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Granddaughter just loves this book.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 11, 2023

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My daughter loves this book. I love that it’s hardcover so it’s not damaged when she carries it all around

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Just Say NO to the Pigeon!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 26, 2005

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Your mission, fellow readers, should you choose to accept it, is as follows: don't, I repeat, don't let the pigeon drive the bus. Oh, I know, it seems like a simple mission as these things go. Most pigeons like to fly after all, and most of them aren't very talkative anyway. But be warned, this is no ordinary pigeon! This unusual bird possesses all the guile and determination of a toddler angling to get a cookie before dinner.

The formula of this book will quickly become familiar to any reader or listener: the pigeon wants to drive the bus, he NEEDS to drive the bus, and he's DRIVEN to drive the bus!! And nasty hobbitses want to keep him from the precious bus . . . oops, wrong story. ^_^ But, you get the picture. Your job, and your audience's job, is to say "No!" every time and for every ploy. No matter what that pigeon says or does, you can't give him an inch. Cuz you know he'll drive a mile! Kids especially know this routine by heart. After all, they're usually in the pigeon's shoes, thwarted time and time again from getting their momentary heart's desire. This allows them to try out the other role, to see what it's like to be the authority, to set the boundaries and delightfully shout "No!" every time. They aren't fooled for one minute by this pigeon.

I'd really hesitate to call this book a storybook. Because this book really isn't one in the traditional sense. The audience does not sit quietly and wait to see what happens next. They make it happen. Without audience response, this book is only half a story. All of our crafty pigeons comments are directed outward, to the audience. He knows the reader is there and is ready to bargain with him and wear him down with his dreams of bus driving. Likewise, the pictures are simple, unadorned and angular. These are not misty and gorgeous pictorial masterpieces like Mary Grandpre might draw. But another illustrator's work would not have fit the book and created the delightfully subversive book that this has turned out to be. Like some of the best comic strips, our characters don't have to be realistic or elegant to get their point across and display a wide range of emotion and reactions. The books convey that information readily and simply, without anything to clutter or distract the reader from those actions. This is not art that is dressed up to the nines. This is art that gets down to work: casual, direct and very effective at what it does. Taken out of context, the pictures may be uninspiring and seem crude. In context, they make the story come to life and jump off the page.

This is a modern tale and a modern classic. Particularly appropriate for kids in urban settings who may have never seen a barnyard or a cow, but sure as heck know what a pigeon and a bus is! There's no fancy prose or cutesy sweetness here, instead we find wry intelligence and a subtle charm that hits home with its target audience. If you have preschoolers I suggest you check this book out, despite your reservations. Probably best for a preschool to kindergarten age group, since kids much older than this will be looking for more complex reads and longer stories.

If you like this, there are more books in store in the Pigeon series, but this one-to my mind-is the best. You might also want to check out CLICK, CLACK, MOO. COWS THAT TYPE by Doreen Cronin, or if your child is a bit older, perhaps THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES by John Scieszka. It's definitely worth a try with a child, and great for a whole group of kids. Give it a read, let your children give it a listen . . .but don't, and I repeat, DON'T let the pigeon drive the bus!

Happy reading! Shanshad ^_^

22 people found this helpful

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Emily Jane

Funny and Clever

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 15, 2023

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I was looking for a gift for my friend's granddaughter, and I remembered how much my young students loved this book. It's great for reading aloud to children -- lots of opportunities for the actor in you. Also it is written in such a way that the children can interact with the book. I highly recommend it for children 3-6.

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Sally Sue

Pigeons Can't Drive a Bus!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 25, 2023

Verified Purchase

A great book to use as a Easter basket stuffer. I love this author! I bought the books for my children and now my grandchildren!

One person found this helpful

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Sanford S. Shulman

GR8 for children.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

There's a whole series for fun & adventure.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 20, 2023

Verified Purchase

Bit over priced but nice gift

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Dodora B.

Recomendo

Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on February 5, 2022

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Livro de acordo com o anunciado. Sem problemas e recomendo.

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betty

Kids' favorite

Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on August 26, 2018

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Hilarious book. My daughter loved it. Great buy!

Mel

Lovely book

Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on May 3, 2023

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Nice book, excellent quality and fun to read.

Christian Ayala Espinosa

Excelente libro

Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on September 19, 2018

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Excelente libro

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craftyteacher

Adore this book!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 30, 2018

Verified Purchase

I think this is quite possibly my favourite children’s picture book of all time!
The style of the bus driver and pigeon talking directly to the reader is quite unlike anything else I have read to my class as a teacher - and now parent.
I think some people just don’t get the brilliance because it’s a different kind of thing but they’re missing out because it’s hilarious! 😀

4 people found this helpful

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Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Hardcover – Picture Book, January 1, 2003

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