Mo Willems, a picture book author and illustrator, is one of my favorites and his beloved Pigeon is back and in a new story.
In his Pigeon series, Pigeon has many ways of trying to get what he wants whether it be by stomping, begging, laughing, hiding, or just pouting. Â I discovered his books through my children and we have all laughed together reading them.
On April 3, the latest book in the Pigeon series was published, and Cheryl Ashley, the children’s librarian at the Verona Public Library, has chosen to tell us all about:  The Duckling Gets A Cookie!?  She writes:
Duckling requests a cookie, and gets one – with nuts. When Pigeon sees the cookie and asks how he got it, Duckling states simply that he asked for it, politely. Pigeon flies into a frenzy, listing all the things he’s asked for (in the previous books) and has been denied – he asked to drive the bus, he asked for candy, hot dog parties, his own personal iceberg and he asked to stay up late. He’s been denied every time and it’s just not fair!
As in all the Pigeon books, Willems’ simple black line drawings capture the many moods of Pigeon which is remarkable, when you think about it, because most of the Pigeon’s expressions are conveyed through that one eyeball.
I won’t give away the ending, but suffice it to say that a point is scored for good manners and a point scored for Duckling’s good sense.
Many messages can be delivered through children’s books and in this case, the message is good manners. I learned a few years ago that when there are subjects that might be challenging to discuss with your child, a book can help. April is Autism Awareness Month. If you are looking for books that address developmental disabilities and how to interact with children who have them, how to help children understand them, or what it might feel like to be the  sibling of a child with a developmental disability, the website Children’s Books Heal, authored by Patricia Tilton, is a great resource. I’m amazed by the number of books she has found, and shared, that address this subject.
