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155+ Works 100,051 Members 3,529 Reviews 89 Favorited

About the Author

Mo Willems was born on February 11, 1968. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School for the Arts, he spent a year traveling around the world drawing a cartoon every day, which were published in the book You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons. For nine seasons, he worked as a show more writer and animator for PBS' Sesame Street, where he received 6 Emmy Awards for his writing. During this time, he also served as a weekly commentator for BBC Radio and created two animated series, Nickelodeon's The Off-Beats and Cartoon Network's Sheep in the Big City. While working as head writer for Cartoon Network's Codename: Kids Next Door, he began writing and drawing books for children. He received three Caldecott Honor Awards for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! in 2004; Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale in 2005; and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity in 2008. He also created the Elephant and Piggie series for Easy Readers, which were awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal in 2008 and 2009. His drawings, wire sculptures, and ceramics have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums across the nation. Occasionally he serves as the Radio Cartoonist for NPR's All Things Considered. He voices and produces animated cartoons based on his books with Weston Woods studios. The animated Knuffle Bunny was awarded Best Film during the New York International Children's Film Festival in 2008 and received the Andrew Carnegie Medal in 2007. His title Happy Pig Day made Publisher's Weekly Best Seller List for 2011. In 2012 his title Goldilocks and The Three Dinosaurs made The New York Times Best Seller List. In 2013 his titles: That is Not a Good Idea!, Let's Go for a Drive! and I'm a Frog! made the New York Times Best Seller List. In 2014 The Pigeons Need a Bath! and Waiting Is Not Easy! made the New York Times Best Seller List. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Miranda H.

Series

Works by Mo Willems

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! (2004) 4,586 copies
There Is a Bird on Your Head! (2007) 3,769 copies
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! (2008) 3,525 copies
My Friend is Sad (2007) 3,368 copies
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? (2012) 3,001 copies
We Are in a Book! (2010) 2,893 copies
Should I Share My Ice Cream? (2011) 2,586 copies
Waiting Is Not Easy! (2014) 2,372 copies
A Big Guy Took My Ball! (2013) 2,283 copies
I Love My New Toy! (2008) 2,230 copies
The Pigeon Needs a Bath! (1800) 1,943 copies
Let's Go for a Drive! (2012) 1,908 copies
I'm a Frog! (2013) 1,842 copies
I Am Invited to a Party! (2007) 1,830 copies
Are You Ready to Play Outside? (2008) 1,662 copies
My New Friend Is So Fun! (2014) 1,643 copies
Happy Pig Day! (2011) 1,615 copies
Leonardo, the Terrible Monster (2005) 1,511 copies
I Will Surprise My Friend! (2008) 1,500 copies
Today I Will Fly! (2007) 1,458 copies
The Pigeon HAS To Go To School! (2019) 1,296 copies
I Really Like Slop! (2015) 1,247 copies
Elephants Cannot Dance! (2009) 1,226 copies
The Thank You Book (2016) 1,223 copies
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed (2009) 1,155 copies
City Dog, Country Frog (2010) 1,098 copies
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! (2009) 987 copies
Watch Me Throw the Ball! (2009) 927 copies
That Is Not a Good Idea! (2013) 884 copies
I Will Take A Nap! (2015) 794 copies
Listen to My Trumpet! (2012) 767 copies
I Am Going! (2010) 708 copies
Time to Say "Please"! (2005) 634 copies
Cat the Cat, Who Is That? (2010) 486 copies
The Story of Diva and Flea (2015) 474 copies
Because (2019) 473 copies
Nanette's Baguette (2016) 356 copies
Time to Pee! (2003) 330 copies
Who is the Mystery Reader? (2019) 208 copies
Rosco vs. the Baby (2016) 186 copies
A Busy Creature's Day Eating (2018) 123 copies
Opposites Abstract (2021) 89 copies
Don't Pigeonhole Me! (2013) 56 copies
The Frustrating Book! (2022) 55 copies
Are You Big? (2024) 21 copies
Elephant & Piggie Bundle (2011) 4 copies
Sheep in the Big City: Season 1 — Creator — 2 copies
Sheep in the Big City: Season 2 — Creator — 2 copies
El colom s'ha de banyar (2017) 2 copies
Book 9781454952787 (2023) 1 copy
Are You Small? (2024) 1 copy
Pigeon Wants a Puppy! (2008) 1 copy
Books 1 copy

Associated Works

Guys Write for Guys Read (2005) — Illustrator — 769 copies
We Are Growing! (2016) — Contributor — 656 copies
The Cookie Fiasco (2016) — Contributor — 525 copies
The Complete Peanuts: 1969-1970 Dailies & Sundays (2008) — Introduction — 370 copies
Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories (2011) — Contributor — 322 copies
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? (2006) — some editions — 284 copies
The Itchy Book! (2018) — Contributor — 263 copies
The Good for Nothing Button (2017) — Contributor — 253 copies
Harold & Hog Pretend For Real! (2019) — Contributor — 248 copies
A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader (2018) — Illustrator — 238 copies
It's Shoe Time! (2017) — Contributor — 221 copies
Who Done It? (2013) — Contributor — 135 copies
Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz (2015) — Contributor — 47 copies
The Bride of Monkeysuit:Monkeysuit, Volume 2 (2000) — Contributor — 14 copies

Tagged

animals (1,460) bedtime (405) birds (634) bus (406) Caldecott (395) Caldecott Honor (374) Child Life (355) children (745) children's (1,396) children's book (343) children's literature (431) collection:Fiction (747) early reader (836) easy reader (549) elephant (432) Elephant and Piggie (1,401) elephants (791) emotions (411) family (397) fantasy (575) feelings (528) fiction (2,661) friends (805) friendship (2,316) funny (888) hardcover (1,108) humor (2,541) kids (387) manners (330) Mo Willems (2,117) picture book (5,087) pigeon (1,398) pigeons (462) pigs (1,016) read (348) series (616) sharing (686) shelf:Fiction (748) to-read (640) transportation (421)

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1968-02-11
Gender
male
Nationality
USA
Birthplace
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Places of residence
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Northampton, Massachusetts, USA
Education
New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
Trinity Episcopal School
Isidore Newman School
Occupations
animator
illustrator
children's book author
Awards and honors
Theodor Suess Geisel Medal (2008, 2009)
Caldecott Honor (2004, 2005, 2008
Short biography
Mo Willems was born on February 11 in 1968 and raised in New Orleans.  He attended Tisch School of the Arts through New York University, graduating cum laude. He began his career as a writer and animator for Sesame Street, and then went on to create two cartoon series: "The Off-Beats" for Nickelodeon's "Kablam!" and "Sheep in the Big City" for Cartoon Network. Since 2003, Willems has authored numerous books for young children.

Members

Discussions

Anyone a else Mo Willems Fan? in Children's Literature (May 2015)

Reviews

Recently read (several times) with a 3 year old; hilarious!
 
Flagged
Abcdarian | 133 other reviews | May 18, 2024 |
Independent Reading Level: Grades PreK - Kindergarten
Awards: Caldecott Honor (2004)
 
Flagged
DFountain58 | 506 other reviews | Apr 29, 2024 |
Independent Reading Level: Grades 2-5.
 
Flagged
erikawall | 45 other reviews | Apr 27, 2024 |
Independent Reading Level: Grades K-2.
Caldecott Medal (2004).
 
Flagged
erikawall | 506 other reviews | Apr 27, 2024 |

Lists

Awards

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Statistics

Works
155
Also by
16
Members
100,051
Popularity
#91
Rating
4.3
Reviews
3,529
ISBNs
955
Languages
12
Favorited
89

Charts & Graphs