Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

this book is one of my 3 year old's favorites. We have so much fun reading it together. He gets a kick out of telling Pigeon "No" after every attempt he makes to try and convince you to let him drive the bus. It is a lot of fun to read with your child and act out the emotions.

I originally heard this story in my college course. It was a elementary education course in teaching language arts and at the start of each class our professor would read to us as if we were children. We all thought it was adorable and fit for young children. Its simple illustrations simply came alive with the book's main character the pigeon! I thought to myself how I would love to have it in my future classroom but first I must get passed the real test...my three year old daughter! Needless to say after reading it once to her during bedtime, she was hooked! In fact during her show and tell at school, she demanded that this book be her choice to show to her friends!

I've read this book (with FULL expression for the temper tantrum) to my first graders. They delighted in the book, and it is always (no hyperbole) always the first book they pick when we have free reading time. It has proven motivational for my students who are finding learning to read difficult - they will persist and work their way through this book as no other. It's a winner! (Thanks, Mr. Willems, for making my job just a little easier and a lot more fun!)

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! is an engaging interactive read aloud story. The bus driver talks directly to the audience and tells them not to let the pigeon drive the bus. The children will answer "no" to the pigeon's pleas to drive the bus as you read along. The story is funny and the pictures are simple yet captivating for young children. Ages 3-6.

Pigeon goes on and on trying to persuade the reader to let him drive the bus, like so: "I tell you what: I'll just steer", "Hey, I've got an idea. Let's play `Drive the Bus'. I'll go first". And the kids get to say . NO! That makes them feel superior, grown up, and responsible (since the bus driver asks everyone not to let the pigeon drive the bus while he is away). It almost lets kids to be parents for a while! And they love it. Nothing can be more entertaining to the little ones as to boss around the poor pigeon, while they learn how to say no to manipulating and may be . even may be... recognize themselves in a fussy pigeon. Besides great interaction with reader, this small book is full of fun and deceptively simple artwork that looks like it was drawn by the kids themselves. But don't let the simplicity fool you - the pigeon's eyes are drawn very expressively and full of emotion, which only more delightful to the readers. Large letters are great for preschoolers to let them learn letters and new words.

What a fun book to share with your little one! He will enjoy shouting "no!" in a playful way in this adorable story and will want to read it again and again.

My 2 and 3-year-old grandchildren love this book. It captures their attention, makes them laugh out loud and provides a wonderful source of play-acting -- they love to act out the story of the hapless pigeon who so desperately wants a chance to drive that bus!

Pigeon wants to drive the bus. He really, really wants to drive the bus. Really, really, really, really. Pigeon sounds like a child wheedling his or her way to get what he/she really, really, really wants. Pigeon tries but you can outlast his wheedling. Can't you? Fun book. Pigeon really does sound like a child. The illustrations are wonderful.

A hilarious book! The illustrations are super cute, you can tell exactly how the pigeon is feeling just by the pictures. An opinion writing activity would go great with this story, having the children write about whether or not the pigeon should drive the bus.

This is a super funny book. Whenever the Pigeon asks to drive, the reader can say "NO!" The Pigeon keeps trying and trying to convince the reader to let him drive! Our class loves the speech bubbles.

I love this book and purchase it for friends with newborns. The author/artist captures the essence of what a child wants to explore with the Pigeon. Children and adults will love this book.

I like that this book teaches kids it's okay to say no to bad ideas and resist peer pressure in a fun way. My three and five year old granddaughters love it, and laugh at the expressions the pigeon makes. Very well done book.

Although still a bit young to understand it, the children loved the pictures, and I'm sure it will continue to be favorite.

I LOVE this book. I think it is hilarious. Fortunately, the toddlers I read it to in story time at the library agreed. Unfortunately, my colleagues did not. Oh, they tolerated the pigeon, but never really embraced him.  Toddlers all know the word "no". Even my one-year-old son is familiar with it. How great to have a character in a book toddlers can say "no" to. My son wags his head, but same idea. And how absurd to have a pigeon who wants to drive a bus. At the library we even used this book at an elementary school during Space Week and had the pigeon begging to fly the shuttle. It became wonderfully Dr. Who-ish when the pigeon wanted to fly just once around the galaxy. (The would be David Tennant's Dr. Who for those wanting a mental image).  Also, the deceptively simple illustrations make the pigeon instantly recognizable. In addition to buying this book, I also bought a toy pigeon that says in Mo Willems' creepy/funny voice "Let me drive the bus!" When I pull out the book to read it, my son grabs the toy pigeon. There are other pigeon books, which also are very funny, but this one, the original, is my favorite.

We like this book because it had lots of details and silly and funny things. This book inspired us to write books like this on our own. You should read this book because it has very funny things and makes people laugh a lot.

Interesting idea, good for kids who are eager to try things beyond their capabilities. But I'd be careful giving it to a child who has self confidence issues.

Both my 5 year old son and I love the pigeon books! We love reading them together, and he finds so much enjoyment in telling Pigeon 'NO!'

We cannot get enough of Pigeon's adventures, and this was a great start to them all. (We're also delighted every time Pigeon shows up in the Elephant and Piggie books.) Mo Williams is a family favorite -- a kid and adult pleaser at the same time.

Lots of repetition, perfect for toddlers.