The Pigeon Needs A Bath

The Pigeon Needs a Bath. Mo Willems. 2014. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Hi! I don't know if you've noticed, but the Pigeon is filthy. So, I could use your help, because: The Pigeon Needs A Bath! (That is a matter of opinion.)

Premise/plot: Does the Pigeon *need* a bath?! Pigeon is going to try his best to convince you, the reader, that he absolutely DOES NOT need a bath. Will this filthy bird ever get in the tub?!

My thoughts: The Pigeon Needs a Bath! is one of those picture books that is practically perfect in every way. Every single page of this one--every word of text, every expression in the illustration--is perfection. It is one of those rare books where you could open it up to any page and find gold at the end of the rainbow.

I don't really need a bath!
I took one last month!
I think it was last month.
"Clean." "Dirty."
They're just words, right?
I feel clean.
Maybe YOU need a bath!
YEAH! When was the last time YOU had a bath?!
Oh. That was pretty recently.
Life is so short. Why waste it on unimportant things?
Like taking a bath!

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? Mo Willems. 2012. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:  Hello! May I have a cookie, please? Oh! Thanks! That was very nice of you! Oh! Look at all those nuts.

Premise/plot: The Duckling has a cookie--with nuts--and Pigeon is having a jealous fit. He's having a fit like only he can. This is Pigeon at his most flustered. (Probably).

My thoughts: I like this one. For the longest time it was my favorite book in Mo Willems' Pigeon series. I'm not sure it still is--though it comes close. I do recommend all of the Pigeon books. Pigeon is the kind of character that grows on you. You may not instantly love him. You may not quite "get" him. For me it was a sneaky love. One day I realized that I did in fact love him.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Mo Willems. 2003. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Hi! I'm the bus driver. Listen, I've got to leave for a little while, so can you watch things for me until I get back? Thanks. Oh, and remember: DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!

Premise/plot: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is the first book in Mo Willem's Pigeon series. Pigeon is Pigeon. To know him is to love him, perhaps?! He addresses readers directly and proceeds to argue! In this one he's trying to persuade you to let him drive the bus.

I'll be your best friend! How 'bout I give you five bucks? What's the big deal!? It's just a bus!!! No fair! I bet your mom would let me. I have dreams, you know! Fine. 

This one earned a Caldecott Honor in 2004.  

My thoughts: Mo Willems is a must-read author. He's created several super-successful series. Pigeon is one of them. Elephant and Piggie is another. I love, love, love, love, crazy-love his Elephant and Piggie series. But I do love Pigeon. I recently read that there will be a new Pigeon book next year!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

A Busy Creature's Day Eating!

A Busy Creature's Day Eating! Mo Willems. 2018. Disney-Hyperion. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:

A Apples!
B Berries!
C Cereal!
D Doughnuts
E Eggs
? !
F Furniture

Premise/plot: The 'creature' that stars in Mo Willem's newest book EATS just about anything and everything--whether it's good for him or not. Will there be consequences for his LARGE and CRAZY appetite?

My thoughts: This book is definitely over-the-top silly and designed to make children of a certain age giggle. For example, he is beginning to regret his life around the letter O. And P is for POTTY. I'll leave it to your imagination what V is for.

I would say there's a practical lesson in here somewhere, BUT, in all honesty the last thing you need to put on a queasy stomach is RICE, SALTINES, and TEA. Those foods are for after you've emptied out, not before.

Also, I have to wonder where his parents were while he was eating. Surely a parent should have stepped in and stopped him from eating a HUGE HOT-SAUCE HALIBUT HOAGIE.

I did not care for the illustrations--for the style of the illustrations. But I must admit the creature himself was drawn expressively.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Nanette's Baguette

Nanette's Baguette. Mo Willems. 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Nanette! Today is a day Nanette won't soon forget. Today, in the kitchenette, Mom tells Nanette, that Nanette gets to get the baguette!

Premise/plot: Set in a French village, Nanette's Baguette stars a couple of frogs. Nanette is being trusted with a great responsibility: going to the bakery to get a baguette all by herself. Can she handle it? Maybe. Maybe not. But what really sets this one apart is the excessive rhyming. Willems' teases readers with how many words and phrases he can work into the story that rhymes with baguette. The odd thing is, that most of them are woven into the story in a way that works. (I don't think all of them do).

My thoughts: I'm trying to be objective here. If it wasn't written by Mo Willems, what would I honestly think of this one?! I think I would probably like but maybe not love it. I think I would appreciate the fun rhyming. (I do love a good rhyming book with great flow!) But I don't think I'd necessarily be gushing that this is the best book the world has ever seen.

That being said. NEW MO WILLEMS. If I wasn't gluten-sensitive, I could totally relate to Nanette and her Mom giving into temptation and EATING the baguettes before they got home.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10


© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Thank You Book

The Thank You Book. Mo Willems. 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I have a lot to be thankful for...I had better get thanking.

Premise/plot: Piggie is out to thank EVERYONE. But Gerald worries that Piggie will forget someone, someone important, someone REALLY, REALLY important. Readers see Piggie go about thanking various characters including the Pigeon, Brian Bat, the whale, some flies, etc. All the while Gerald gets more and more concerned. Piggie IS forgetting someone important. And Piggie is not taking hints!

My thoughts: I have mixed feelings about The Thank You Book. Part of me would like to put it in the freezer and pretend it simply doesn't exist. Why? It feels very much like THE LAST BOOK IN A SERIES. I do not want it to be the last book, the END. Cue the music. There could be a hundred titles in the series, and I'd still be looking for the release of 101! I haven't processed the loss yet...to there being no more books starring Gerald and Piggie.

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

I Really Like Slop!

I Really Like Slop! Mo Willems. 2015. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: La! La! La! Hi, Gerald! Hi, Piggie! Yikes! What is that?! THIS is slop!

Premise/plot: Gerald and Piggie are best friends. Piggie really, really, REALLY loves slop. Gerald, well, let's just say that he thinks it smells HORRIBLE. Absolutely horrible. Can Piggie get Gerald to try slop? Will he survive the experience?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one very much. I did. One person's idea of "yummy, yummy" food MIGHT just be another person's idea of slop. Though in this instance, it is actually slop. (The flies are a clue. As is the fact that Piggie herself says it has old shoes in it.) If Piggie had been eating broccoli or spinach, Gerald's bravery would have made more sense, and the illustrations would have been even funnier. That being said, I have no complaints about this one. Loved the text. Loved the illustrations. And, of course, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the characters.

Hint: Notice the endpapers!

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Story of Diva and Flea

The Story of Diva and Flea. Mo Willems. Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. 2015. Disney-Hyperion. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: This is Diva's story. For as long as she could remember, Diva lived at 11 avenue Le Play in Paris, France.

Premise/plot: The Story of Diva and Flea is an early chapter book. Diva is a small dog; Flea is a large cat, a flaneur. You might think these two could never be friends--best friends--because they are so very different from one another. Diva stays in her apartment, or in the courtyard of the apartment building; she's frightened of people--of stomping feet. Flea, well, Flea is a loner, a bit mistrustful of humans, who seem to always be waving brooms at him. Every single day is an adventure for this wanderer. He never knows when his next meal will be, or what it will be, but oh the sights he's seen. Yet these two do become friends, and they bring out the best in one another...

My thoughts: The Story of Diva and Flea is giddy-making. I loved, loved, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. I loved everything about it. I loved the setting--Paris, France. I loved the characters--Diva and Flea. I loved the premise: two animals becoming the best of friends. I loved how it reminded me of some of my favorite Disney movies (Lady & The Tramp and The Aristocats). I loved the illustrations. I loved the writing. For example,

Flea did not even have a fixed name. Some people called him "Puss" or "Midnight" or "Richard," but he didn't care too much about what people called him. He liked the name "Flea." He thought it was a funny name because he was a large cat, and a flea is a small animal. Also, he may or may not have had fleas.

I expected to love it because it is Mo Willems. But I didn't expect to love it so very, very much!!!

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

I Will Take A Nap

I Will Take A Nap. Mo Willems. 2015. Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I am tired. And cranky. I will take a nap! I like to nap. I am happier when I am rested.

Premise/plot: Gerald, the elephant, is TIRED and CRANKY. What does Gerald need? A nap, of course! Will Gerald get a nap, a PROPER nap, that is?! Or will Piggie keep him from getting the rest he so desperately needs?!

My thoughts: I liked this one very much. Of course, I always like Gerald and Piggie very much. I adore this series so much. I liked it for all the reasons I like Elephant & Piggie. I like the relationship between Gerald and Piggie, their friendship. I like how these two balance each other out. They just make a great team. I like Gerald. I like Piggie. But together they are better. Together they are perfect. But one of the strongest reasons I like the series so much is how expressive the books are. I love the illustrations. Gerald and Piggie are drawn with such expression--such emotion--on every page. And these expressions are oh-so-easy to relate to! For example, I love Gerald's expression when Piggie wakes him up on page 12! And Gerald's expression when Piggie is doing all the snoring?! Loved it! That one is on page 34.

Have you read I Will Take A Nap? Did you like it? love it?

Do you have a favorite book in the series?


© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Two by Mo Willems

My New Friend Is So Fun! Mo Willems. 2014. Hyperion. 60 pages. [Source: Library]

I love Gerald. I love Piggie. I love Mo Willems. This is the twenty-first book starring Piggie and Gerald. I did enjoy it. How could I not enjoy it? I couldn't imagine not loving a book starring my favorite pig and favorite elephant.

In this addition to the series, Piggie becomes friends with Brian Bat, and Gerald becomes friends with Snake. Gerald and Snake are talking. They become worried, very, very worried. The more they talk, the more they think, the more they think, the more anxious and excited they become. What if Piggie becomes BEST, BEST friends with Brian?! What if Brian the Bat doesn't *need* Snake anymore?! What if Piggie doesn't *need* Gerald anymore?! What if Piggie decides that it is more fun to spend time with Brian?! Gerald and Snake would be doomed if that happened. They can't let that happen. They just can't. So they go to confront Piggie and Brian....

Will Gerald and Piggie stay best, best friends?

This one is cute enough. Of course, Gerald has nothing to worry about. Piggie is loyal through and through. (As is Brian the Bat.)

Waiting is Not Easy. Mo Willems. 2014. Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library]

Note: This one will be Cybils eligible next year! Don't forget!

Did I love the twenty-second Elephant & Piggie book? I did! You know I did! I adore Gerald and Piggie!!!

In this addition to the series, Piggie has a surprise for Gerald. But it is a surprise that can't be given or shared right away. Which means that both Gerald and Piggie have to wait...and wait...and wait. Piggie, at least, knows why. But Gerald, well, he doesn't. And the suspense is torture for this oh-so-emotional elephant!

What I love best about the series is the expressiveness of the illustrations. Spotlight on Gerald!!! I love watching his expressions on every page of Waiting Is Not Easy. I think my favorite is Gerald's groaning. (p. 20/21, 30/31, 38/39).

The story is fun and playful. It is oh-so-easy to relate to Gerald's impatience and frustration!

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

New Mo Willems!

That Is Not A Good Idea. Mo Willems. 2013. HarperCollins. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

That is NOT a Good Idea is a funny new picture book from Mo Willems. Sometimes I merely "love" Mo Willems. Other times, well, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE his work. I really loved That Is NOT A Good Idea. It is so different from his Elephant and Piggie series, and so different from his Pigeon books too.

A fox and a goose meet in Mo Willem's latest. The plot unfolds like a silent movie, with the dialogue occurring separate from the illustration (action). For example, there is a spread showing them seeing each other for the first time. The next page reveals:

"What luck!"
"Dinner!"

The story seems predictable, but is it? The story is also constantly being interrupted by a handful of young baby geese. They have a LOT to say about what is going on in the unfolding story. This story begs to be read aloud again and again and again.

I would definitely recommend this one!

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

I'm A Frog. (An Elephant and Piggie Book) Mo Willems. 2013. Hyperion. 58 pages. [Source: Library]

Ribbit!
?
Ribbit!
Piggie?
Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit! 
What are you doing, Piggie?
I'm a frog.

Gerald and Piggie are back for another adventure in Mo Willem's latest early reader, I'm A Frog. In this super-fun adventure, Gerald learns about pretending. If you love Elephant and Piggie, this one will not disappoint. Piggie is still fabulously fun, and Gerald is still oh-so-wonderful! There are dozens of things to love about the series, about individual books in the series. But one of my favorite things is the expression, the emotion, to be found in each and every illustration. Do you have a favorite from I'm A Frog? I think mine may be Gerald's ongoing anxiety attack ending with I DO NOT WANT TO BE A FROG.

Definitely recommended. I love and adore (all but one) the books in this series!

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

A Big Guy Took My Ball (2013)

A Big Guy Took My Ball. Mo Willems. 2013. Hyperion. 58 pages. [Source: Library]

I've enjoyed every Elephant and Piggie book Mo Willem has published. True, sometimes it's merely strong liking and not absolute LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. But the series as a whole are practically perfect in my estimation! Mo Willems does everything exactly right time and time again.

This adventure starts with Piggie telling Gerald a story. She found a ball, a big ball. It was the best ball ever. She was having so much fun until a "big guy" came and took "her" ball. It was AWFUL. Piggie is outraged. Gerald is a friend, a good friend. If someone has picked on Piggie, he should do something to help, right?! Gerald was perhaps expecting a "big guy" around his own size...or at least closer to his own size. He wasn't expecting a HUGE WHALE. But what Piggie and Gerald discover is a very large, but somewhat sad whale. The whale is telling Piggie thank you. Thank you for finding and returning the ball. But the whale is without doubt sad. Why? The whale is LONELY. Can Gerald and Piggie help?!

I loved this book. I liked discovering the real story. A good reminder that there is always more than one side to any story! It was also great at showing problem solving! I think my favorite scene was:

"Would you like to play "Whale Ball" with us?"
"What is "Whale Ball"?
"We do not know!"
"We have not made it up yet!"

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Duckling Gets A Cookie

The Duckling Gets a Cookie. Mo Willems. 2012. Hyperion. 40 pages.

I really enjoyed this latest picture book starring Pigeon. As long as I remember that Pigeon is Pigeon and Piggie is Piggie, I really, really love it. The moment I start to compare my love for Pigeon with my LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, OBSESSIVE LOVE with Elephant and Piggie, I start to question how much I care for Mo Willems' other series. (For me, there's just no comparison.) I do think the Pigeon books have to grow on you. If this is your first and only introduction to Pigeon, well, you may not "get" it. And you may not understand why Pigeon is so Pigeon-y. He definitely has a quirky personality that just somehow fits him so well. So the books are best read in combination so that readers can get the full Pigeon experience. (This may not be the one to start with either.)

Anyway, in this adventure, Pigeon is OH-SO-JEALOUS that this cute little duckling (cute and little being my adjectives) has gotten a cookie--with NUTS--just by asking politely. Why doesn't Pigeon ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever get what he asks for?! Why?! He is the "asking-est" pigeon around. So why does the Duckling get a cookie?!

Anyway, readers soon learn the truth--or is it the truth?--the Duckling wanted to give this cookie to Pigeon.

I definitely thought this one was fun and playful. I do think that this one is best appreciated by those who already know Pigeon. But this could always be a good opportunity to introduce little ones to the whole series.

Read The Duckling Gets A Cookie

• If you're a fan of Pigeon
• If you're a fan of cookies--with or without nuts
• If you're a fan of Mo Willems
• If you're looking for playful, quirky picture books

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews