Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems

Published by Hyperion Books for Children

Text begins right away when you open the front cover of the book, before you can even read the title. There is a bus driver with a speech bubble addressing the reader not to let the pigeon drive the bus. Then, through the book, the pigeon that we meet asks, then begs to drive the bus. He becomes increasingly agitated until he completely loses it, and then the bus driver comes back and thanks the reader for not letting the pigeon drive the bus.

This book is incredibly funny and endearing. The reader gets to take on the responsibility of telling the pigeon "no, he cannot drive the bus," while the pigeon takes on the role of the child. Mo Willems has captured the dream of every child who ever became frustrated at grown-ups telling them "no." This is a position that any kid would love to be in, the roles are reversed and the kids are now in charge. Also, children can definitely relate to the pigeons feelings about not being allowed to do what he wants. So this book is a great text-to-self read. Plus, it is just plain funny to see that pigeon freak out!

Mo Willems' illustrations are simple yet he completely tells the story with them. His stark backgrounds give real focus to the pigeon and how he's feeling. Willems really seems to understand what children like and how they feel, and children like the artwork because it is easy for them to understand also. Sometimes less is more, and I believe Willems really hit the nail on the head with the drawings in this book. Also, giving speech bubbles to the pigeon really helps to give the pigeon human qualities, helping children to relate more.

Goin' Someplace Special

Written by Patricia C. McKissack

Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Published by Aladdin Paperbacks

'Tricia Ann is a young girl making her first journey alone to the big city. She is going to a place where she is always welcomed, regardless of race. However, along the way, she is reminded of the inequalities of her race by signs posted telling her where she can sit, and rude, racist people to remind her of her place in society at that time in the 1950's south. She is discouraged, as any young girl would be with that kind of rejection, but 'Tricia Ann remembers her grandmother's words with the help of a kind old stranger: "You are somebody, a human being-no better, no worse than anybody else in this world." With that, 'Tricia Ann treks on and arrives at her special destination where all people are welcome, the public library.

This book is an amazing journey through the eyes of a young black girl in the 1950's south. Everything that she feels is depicted so poignantly through the words and illustrations. This book has helped me to realize the relationship that the illustrations have to the text. I do not believe this book would have the same effect if not for the amazing illustrations. There is one part in the book where 'Tricia Ann encounters her first setback on her journey alone, which is a sign on the bus that says "colored section." The tone of the book changes on this page, and we, as readers, begin to realize the pain in 'Tricia Ann's heart because it is amazingly detailed by the illustration on the page. 'Tricia Ann is walking toward the back of the bus and her face is turned around to look at the reader, with the sign hanging above her, and her expression is so telling that it is as if we are on the bus with her, feeling her sadness.

Considering that this book depicts the story and feelings of a young girl experiencing segregation in the 1950's south, I would use this book in my classroom for students learning about segregation and the Civil Rights Movement. This book meets the New York State Social Studies Standards for standard 1 (History of the United States and New York), and standard 5 (Civics, Citizenship, and Government). As a teacher, I believe it is very important to help students relate what they are learning to the real world. This book not only tells about how segregation affected the south and it's people, but it has wonderful illustrations of what the time period looked like: the clothes people wore, what cars looked like at the time. It can be a great lesson in U.S. History and English Language Arts as well.