The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!

by Mo Willems
Illustration by Mo Willems

He really, really, really wants one. He'll take really good care of it What's the matter--don't you want him to be happy? The latest book in the best-selling Pigeon series is the funniest one yet.

The fun-loving and hilarious pigeon from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! is back - and this time, he wants a puppy. This Golden Archer Award winner is packed with cover-to-cover humor, promising to keep both you and your child entertained and smiling. The hand-drawn pigeon is simple with no real details, set against a solid color background. The entertainment factor comes from the pigeon's body language and perfectly selected short dialogue, capturing the voice of a young child. The words change font size and width to help guide you in your reading theatrics for the best entertainment factor.

If your child has ever asked (or begged) you for anything, they will be able to relate to the pigeon. The pigeon uses all the same influencing factors a child would try, such as bartering, "Oh, don't worry. I'll take care of it! I promise I'll water it once a month;" guilt, "Oh, I get it. You don't want me to be happy, do you?"; and finally a full on temper tantrum. It will be fun to see your child recognize the humor throughout the book, whether it's the list on the inside cover of things the pigeon wants including turtleneck sweaters, paper clips, to drive the bus (of course!), and anything suede, or whether it's the pigeon's aghast expression when he finally sees a real life puppy panting in his face. You can discuss the lesson the pigeon supposedly learns - be careful what you ask for and try to apply it to something your child can personally relate to.

I love reading this book to my four-year-old nice Emily as I'm as entertained as she is by the silly little pigeon. Emily's favorite line in the book is "I'm a puppy-loving pigeon!" She has made it habit of saying this whenever she is around someone new, as it always gets some laughs.

--Audra