Gillian Engberg (Booklist, Sep. 1, 2003 (Vol. 100, No. 1))
In his winning debut, Willems finds the preschooler in a pigeon: a cajoling, tantrum-throwing, irresistible bird. "I've got to leave for a little while," says a uniformed bus driver as he strolls off the opening pages. "I thought he'd never leave," says the big-eyed pigeon as he marches onto the next spread and begins his campaign to drive the bus. His tactics, addressed to an unseen audience, are many: he reasons ("I tell you what: I'll just steer"); he whines ("I never get to do anything!"); he's creative ("Let's play 'Drive the Bus'! I'll go first"); he bargains ("C'mon! Just once around the block!"). Finally he erupts in a feather-flying tantrum, followed by a drooping sulk that ends only when a truck arrives, and new road fantasies begin. Librarians may struggle with the endpapers, which contain important story content, but the design is refreshingly minimal, focusing always on the pigeon; he's the only image on nearly every earth-toned spread. Willems is a professional animator, and each page has the feel of a perfectly frozen frame of cartoon footage--action, remarkable expression, and wild humor captured with just a few lines. Preschoolers will howl over the pigeon's dramatics, even as they recognize that he wheedles, blows up, and yearns to be powerful just like they do. Category: Books for the Young--Fiction. 2003, Hyperion, $12.99. PreS. Starred Review

Susie Wilde (Children's Literature)
There are many books that can deepen a child's early reading experiences and strengthen skills without much work. Take, for example, Mo Willems' Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The book opens with a bus driver warning the reader: "Don't let the pigeon drive the bus!" The driver leaves and a blue bird arrives. He begs, pleads, bargains, and threatens--he wants to drive that bus! Though the pictures are static and don't provide clues about the text, the print is large and clear, there are repeated phrases, and an interactive text which make it an ideal shared read. As you point out familiar words and reread the overly-dramatic pigeon monologues, you will build both reading delight and abilities. 2003, Hyperion, $12.99. Ages 3 to 6.

Sharon Levin (Children's Literature)
In this picture book with simple pictures and lots of empty space, a cute blue pigeon begs the reader to let him drive the bus while the bus driver is gone. He implores, promises, whines, begs, bribes (like I don't get enough of this from my kids) in order to get his chance. He says things like, "I bet your mom would let me" or "I have dreams you know." This could actually be a sad book (hey, I was always the kid who wanted the Trix rabbit to actually get some Trix) except for the last two pages. After the bus drives off leaving the pigeon looking dejected, a semi drives up, the pigeon looks at it, and says, "Hey..., and the end papers of the book have the pigeon smiling, eyes closed as he envisions himself driving a semi. Nice touch. 2003, Hyperion Books, $12.99. Ages 5 to 7.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2004)
Pssst. Hey, take a look at this guy. He's a pigeon. You wouldn't let him drive a bus, would you? Even if he begged you, and promised he'd be careful, and insisted your mom would let him drive? With just a few bold black strokes set on neutral pastel-colored backgrounds, artist Mo Willems manages to create an extremely earnest pigeon who uses all of his powers of persuasion to try to convince us he'd actually be able to drive the big bus parked on the title page. Young readers will enjoy doing just as the title and bus driver asked them to do by saying "No!" to the pigeon with each turn of the page. Highly Commended, 2004 Charlotte Zolotow Award CCBC categories: Picture Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers. 2003, Hyperion, 32 pages, $12.99. Ages 2-6.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 7))
This cinematic adventure, with its simple retro-cartoonish drawings, begins on the opening endpapers when a pale blue pigeon dreams of driving a bus. On the title page, the profile of the strong-jawed bus driver notes in a word bubble that he has to leave for a little while and requests that the reader watch things for him. "Oh and remember: "Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus." The text is a handwritten, typewriter-like hand in white word bubbles set on a background of neutral tones of lavender, salmon, celadon, and beige. With the bus in the reader's care, the bus driver nonchalantly strolls away. Turn the page and readers see a close-up of the pigeon, who spends the next 13 well-paced pages begging, pleading, lying, and bribing his way into their hearts. The words "LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!!!" triple in size and leap from the page as the pigeon loses control, flopping across the bottom of the pages. Readers of all ages will nod with recognition of his helplessness and frustration. The bus driver returns, thanks the readers, and drives away, leaving the pigeon with his head hanging in sadness. And just like any young person, he's quickly distracted from his disappointment when a huge truck tire zooms into view. In the end, the pigeon dreams of driving the big red tractor-trailer truck. A first picture book by an Emmy Award-winning writer and animator, listeners will be begging, pleading, lying, and bribing to hear it again and again. 2003, Hyperion, $12.99. Category: Picture book. Ages 3 to 5. © 2003 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Vicki Arkoff (Midwest Book Review, "Vicki's Bookshelf" column, May 2003)
At once nostalgic and thoroughly modern, "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus" is a joyous, cartoonish picture book with a fabulous sense of humor appealing to the kid in all of us. It's no wonder: author Mo Willems is a four-time Emmy winning writer and animator for Sesame Street" and the creator of Cartoon Network's "Sheep in the Big City." Here he immediately puts the reader into the action on the title page by having a bus driver address readers directly, asking "Can you watch things for me until I get back?" There's just one weird warning, however: "Remember, don't let the pigeon drive the bus." The funny premise bear comedic fruit when, sure enough, a pigeon shows up and tries everything he can think off to talk us into letting him drive. Defeated, he gives up...or does he? It's a pure and simple joke told through cheerfully crude line drawings of the clever talking bird, set against a blank canvas of pastel hued pages. It's so simple, in fact, I was tempted to replay the story as a flip book. It's one of the most fun picture books in years for pre-readers and their sure-to-be-amused caregivers. 2003, Hyperion, 36 pages, $12.99.

Karen Coats (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, May 2003 (Vol. 56, No. 9))
Willems, writer and animator of Sesame Street fame, makes his picture-book debut with an irresistible bit of fowl play. Though this enterprising blue pigeon dreams of driving a city bus, even before the book starts the bus driver has asked the book’s audience not to let the pigeon take the wheel. The pigeon pleads, bargains, and otherwise attempts to trick and cajole the viewer into granting his humble wish to drive the bus (after all, his “cousin Herb drives a bus almost every day. True story”). As a readalone or a readaloud, this increasingly desperate one-sided conversation assumes the cooperative interaction of its audience; even the youngest auditor can join the fun because the answer is always, say it loud, say it often, “NO!” The frustrated fowl’s anguish takes center stage in the streamlined yet remarkably articulate illustrations; tidy charcoal outlines that reveal the sure hand of a seasoned animator are set against plain creamy backgrounds of various muted shades. The simplicity of the illustrations and the pigeon’s large, expressive eye fix the viewer in a compellingly dynamic and focused relationship. By putting the child in the deliciously empowering position of being the one to say no to the outrageous request of the pigeon, this avian misadventure begs to be read again and again. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: R* -- Denotes books of special distinction. (c) Copyright 2003, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2003, Hyperion, 34p, $12.99. Ages 5-8 yrs.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2003)
Story-hour listeners (and beginning readers) will be hooked by this silly title. As soon as the bus driver walks away, leaving his bus unattended, the brazen pigeon gets right to the point: "Hey, can I drive the bus?" Clean, sparely designed pages focus attention on the simply drawn but wildly expressive (and emotive) pigeon. This well-paced story encourages audience interaction; in fact, like the wide-eyed pigeon, the book demands it. Category: Preschool. 2003, Hyperion, 40pp, $12.99. Ages 2 to 5. Rating: 1: Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration.

Deborah Paratore (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 16, No. 2))
The pigeon really wants to drive the bus. He starts to try to convince the reader by telling a story about his cousin. When that is unsuccessful, he tries to invent a game and then resorts to bribery and negotiation. When all else fails, he throws a demanding fit. Will that work? This book is recommended for its simple vocabulary and uncluttered pages. However, it may be a bit confusing for the very youngest children because the pigeon is actually talking to the readers. Fiction. Grades Preschool-K. 2003, Hyperion Books, Unpaged., $12.99. Ages 2 to 5.