More Funny Books - Mo Willems

Need a guaranteed laugh? Pick up any book by Mo Willems.

Want to learn about kid brains?
Read these books every year your child
is alive and see how they 
1. Love them always.
2. Change how they understand what they read.

In case you are new to Mo Willems (NOT Williams, subtle, yet important, difference) it might shock you to hear that his first book is 18 years old. In 2003, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus was first published and took the children's book world by storm. I was in college, taking a class on children's literature and I remember the professor coming into class with the book. "THIS is how you write a children's book," she said. I remember being so surprised and energized. I could tell the world of picture books was about to change.

Before his illustrious career in children's books, Mo was an animator for Sesame Street. Doesn't that just make sense? (Side note, many other amazing children's book writers/illustrators worked for Sesame Street! Todd Parr and Christian Robinson are two great examples!)

If you need a laugh, if you are bored with your current stack of books you reread to your children, a Mo Willems book is bound to change things up. I didn't count and a quick google search says he's written "At least 16," but that's so off it's not even funny...or is funny! I won't attempt to list all the books. Mo knows kids and not only did he write hilarious individual books, but he nailed the series lists too. So if your kid loves Pigeon or Elephant and Piggie, there are lots more than just one! To purchase your favorites, search for Mo Willems through my affiliate account with Bookshop!

Here are some of our favorites over the years. 

The original Mo Willems.
This, and ALL the other pigeon books.

Mo wrote these about an experience when his 
own child, Trixie, lost their beloved toy.
There's more than one of these too.

The entire collection featuring 
Elephant and Piggie is amazing.

Love this version and my students did too.
The moral of this story is one of Mo's most
often quoted sentences,
"If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, leave."

What are your favorite Mo Willems books? Drop a comment below so we can share "Mo" love! (Yeah, I did.)

For extra Mo jokes, visit his twitter or check out his website where you will find links to things such as the Lunch Doodles event he started, in collaboration with the Kennedy Center during Covid. This article is also worth a read! And this interview about creativity and grown ups is very inspiring.