Module 6: Don't Let the Piegon Drive the Bus!

Don't Let the Piegon Drive the Bus!

Book Summary:

This humorous story is about a pigeon who desperately wants to drive a bus!  Upon opening the publication, the bus driver warns the readers to not let the pigeon drive the bus while he is away.  After the bus driver leaves, the readers are then pursued by the pigeon who continuously begs and pleads to drive the bus until the driver returns.  Disappointed that he did not get to drive the bus, the pigeon leaves readers with another outrageous idea involving the pigeon driving a big, red truck.

APA Reference of Book:

Willems, M. (2013). Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus! New York, NY: Hyperion Books.

Impressions:

I love how the author, Mo Willems, automatically draws his readers in by having the bus driver to ask them to watch things for him while he is away.  This forces readers to become a part of the book and respond to the pigeon when he continues to beg and plead throughout the story.  I also enjoyed how Willems used speech bubbles and his simple, yet intriguing, illustrations.  This story kept me entertained and has caused me to go out and purchase this story as well as some of Willems’ other “pigeon” books for my classroom.  This would be an excellent resource to utilize when discussing persuasive writing or using speech bubbles to add details and give characters a voice in one’s own writing.     

Professional Review:

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Willems, writer and animator of Sesame Street fame, makes his picture-book debut with an irresistible bit of fowl play. Though this enterprising blue pigeon dreams of driving a city bus, even before the book starts the bus driver has asked the book's audience not to let the pigeon take the wheel. The pigeon pleads, bargains, and otherwise attempts to trick and cajole the viewer into granting his humble wish to drive the bus (after all, his "cousin Herb drives a bus almost every day. True story"). As a read alone or a read aloud, this increasingly desperate one-sided conversation assumes the cooperative interaction of its audience; even the youngest auditor can join the fun because the answer is always, say it loud, say it often, "NO!" The frustrated fowl's anguish takes center stage in the streamlined yet remarkably articulate illustrations; tidy charcoal outlines that reveal the sure hand of a seasoned animator are set against plain creamy backgrounds of various muted shades. The simplicity of the illustrations and the pigeon's large, expressive eye fix the viewer in a compellingly dynamic and focused relationship. By putting the child in the deliriously empowering position of being the one to say no to the outrageous request of the pigeon, this avian misadventure begs to be read again and again.

Source:

Coats, K. (2003). Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus! [Review of the book Don’t let the

pigeon drive the bus! by M. Willems]. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 56(9) 378-379. Retrieved from http://bccb.ischool.illinois.edu

Found using UNT’s online Library Database

Library Uses:

This book would be excellent to use when teaming up with classroom teachers on instructing how to write a persuasive writing piece.  After reading Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, the librarian could discuss how the pigeon tried to convince readers to let him drive the bus.  The students could then share and write a persuasive writing piece on why it would not be a good idea for a pigeon to drive a bus.  As an extension, the librarian could use this activity as an introduction to book trailers.  Using their persuasive writing skills, students could write scripts to use during book trailers to convince others to read a book that they enjoyed.