MotherReader

I haven’t waxed poetic on Mo Willems since the October National Book Festival, where my daughter got to play Piggie on stage. (Watch it here at the twelve minute mark!) Perhaps being noted at BEA as his number one stalker to another author made me a bit more wary with regard to my attentions. Seriously, I could not have planned running into him at BEA, but try explaining that after three years’ worth of blogging adoration. (By the way, if you’re going to Book Expo America and want to meet up with other bloggers, make a plan. The place is huge, and “See you there” will not cut it.)

But my relative silence on Mr. Willems does not mean that I find him any less Mo-tastic. In just the past month, he subbed on a weekly comic strip (fulfilling his lifelong dream), put out a new easier easy reader in Cat the Cat (I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve been very busy), won a Cybils Award (not my category — hold all accusations of favoritism), supervised the making of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical at the Kennedy Center in D.C. (yes, I have tickets; no, he didn’t invite me personally), and still had time to draw on the walls with cool people (not me). So today, in tribute to a man who does more in one month than I can do in ten years, ABC storytime is devoted to Mo Willems’ books, which work amazing well with...


Book: The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, by Mo Willems

Song: “Puppy in the Window”

How much is that puppy in the window? (arf! arf!)
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that puppy in the window? (arf! arf!)
I do hope that puppy’s for sale.
(Yes, I changed “doggie” to “puppy.” BTW, the tune is here.)

Book: Time to Say “Please”, by Mo Willems

Song: “Please and Thank You”

Say please and thank you,
They’re called the magic words,
If you want nice things to happen,
They’re the words that should be heard.
Remember please and thank you,
’Cause they’re the magic words.
Use ’em in the morning, noon, and night,
’Cause it’s a great way to be polite!
Please and thank you,
They’re the magic words.
(Yes, it’s the Barney song. Sorry.)

Book: Pigs Make Me Sneeze, by Mo Willems

Fingerplay: “This Little Piggie”

This little piggie went to market.
This little piggie stayed home.
This little piggie had roast beef.
This little piggie had none.
And this little piggie went...
Wee, wee, wee all the way home.
(Use fingers or toes for piggies.)

Book: Time to Pee! by Mo Willems — or another Pigeon or Elephant & Piggie book if you want to go with the safer choice.

Alternate Books: If you choose not to go with the all-Mo storytime, here are a few other choices: Pssst! by Adam Rex; Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers, by Sam Lloyd; Pilot Pups, by Michelle Meadows; A Penguin Story, by Antoinette Portis

Feel free to add other favorite P books — or Mo adoration — to the comments.