Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Story

As the bus driver takes a break, he has just one request, “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!” But the pigeon really wants to drive the bus and tries everything to persuade us. Would you give in and let the pigeon drive the bus?

Why we chose it

A hilarious picture book as the pigeon begs, pleads, wheedles, tries everything he can (including an impressive toddler tantrum) to persuade us to let him drive the bus.

Where it came from

Mo Willems began his career working as a writer and animator on Sesame Street. This was his first picture book.

Where it went next

Don’t Let the Pigeon was the first book to be inducted into the Picture Book Hall of Fame in 2009. The Kennedy Centre in Washington DC has an App featuring the pigeon as a rather unreliable tour guide. (Mo Willems is the Education Artist-in Residence at the Kennedy Center).

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (the musical) has toured America.

The pigeon features in every book Mo has ever illustrated.

Associated stories

Further books about the Pigeon include Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!, The Pigeon Needs a Bath, The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog, The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, The Pigeon Has to Go to School, and The Pigeon has Feelings Too!

The Teaching Children Philosophy website has a module using The Pigeon Needs a Bath as a text for teaching some complex philosophical issues, including confirmation bias, absolute vs relative values, and the relative meaning of words.