Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

2003, first edition, from Hyperion
Mo Willems
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Bought newish for $12.99
Good condition hardcover
B-

The first picture book on here in over a dozen years, since Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go! (1990), shows a children's author at the beginning, rather than the end, of his career.  Willems has written many more books since, including a few more about the Pigeon.  This title character is like a spoiled, manipulative, yet likable child.  He addresses the reader directly, and we're meant to discourage him from driving the bus, even when he throws a tantrum.  Still, he's unsinkable, and in the endpapers he dreams of driving a truck.

Willems has a simple, retro art style, here sort of like 1950s animated commercials.  I wouldn't say this is the best of his output-- the Knufflebunny books and Elephant and Piggie beginning reader series are arguably better-- but it's a fine debut.

I could say that we've got only a decade left for this project, but actually at this point my most recent books are from 2011, so unless I get, say, the latest Bridget Jones (and I'm waiting for that to come out in paperback), we're only eight years from the end.