Don't let the pigeon stay up late!

PreS-Gr 2-Oh that pigeon-the embodiment of every kid's secret desires. Now he wants to stay up late. The bus driver, in nightcap and pajamas, warns children not to be swayed by the pigeon's arguments. That doesn't stop our plumed persuader from trying to have his way. The book by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2006) is the third of the popular Pigeon series. In this production, Willems is the pigeon, while Jon Scieszka pops in for a brief stint as the bus driver. The book, while delightful, is very short. To expand it for this production, it has been animated and somewhat augmented with additional illustrations and a tad more text. Be sure to watch the end which goes off on a fun hotdog/bus/bunny tangent. Children's reactions are part of the audio and will encourage young audiences to participate. An interview with the author provides insights and shows him reading the book to a group of children. Subtitles are optional. The book/CD combination would be a great reading center for kindergarten or first-grade classrooms. This delightful production will have viewers giggling even as they begin to yawn.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.