Pigeons and Buses!

This post is for June 2nd; my second book reading!  After finishing up the Hunger Games yesterday, my fingers decided to take me over to a lighter reading section, where killing children was not a part of it.  I scanned the early children's book section and found one with an interesting title: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!  I thought that was quite interesting, and pulled it out to read.
It is more of a picture book geared toward children ages 2-6 years.  It was really cute though.  The author (Mo Williems) does an excellent job of having a book that will make kids giggle, and feel as though the book is really talking to them.
The book starts out with a bus driver leaving a pigeon alone by his bus.  He asks that no pigeons drive the bus (the author makes the reader feel like the bus driver and pigeon are talking to you the entire book).  So the pigeon does everything possible to convince you, the reader, to let him drive the bus.  He begs, pleads, and tries to make a game out of it.  In the end, the bus driver comes back before the reader is able to make a decision, and the pigeon does not get to drive the bus.  Although the book closes with the pigeon spotting a tractor trailer and having thoughts on driving it.
This book is just really great and silly for young readers.  It gives them the power to be really involved in the book, and be a part of the decision making process to see if the pigeon should drive the bus or not.  There are excellent illustrations and great words/phrases that would be easy for young kids to repeat or get involved with.
Overall, great, fun book!!  This book was also a Caldecott Honor Book.

Willems, M. (2003). Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.