The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems

Willems, Mo. 2004. The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog. Ill. by Mo Willems. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 078681869

A funny picture book starring Pigeon (from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! among other titles) and a clever little duckling who knows that persistence pays off. When Pigeon finds a delicious hot dog he wants nothing more than to enjoy eating it--all by himself. But Duckling keeps interrupting his meal with questions!

Willems writes this book with his trademark wry humor, using only the dialogue between the two characters (and the colorful, simple illustrations) to tell the story. Although the vocabulary is generally simple, there are some words that will stretch the young reader. For example, while Duckling takes notes, Pigeon describes the experience of eating a hot dog in this way: "They are a taste sensation. Each morsel is a joy! A celebration in a bun!" The interplay between the two characters is both fun and funny.

The illustrations add to the telling of this story as much, if not more, than the dialogue does. The deceptively simple drawings of Pigeon effectively convey his emotions, including his delight with the hot dog and his annoyance with the interfering Duckling.

Awards and Review Excerpts:
Booklist Online said: "Preschoolers who recognized themselves in the tantrum-throwing pigeon of the previous title will also see themselves in the calm, shrewd duckling that knows just how to get his way." Click here for full review.
Golden Archer Award for Primary, 2008

Connections:
--Because this book is written strictly in dialogue, it makes a perfect book for a student to read out loud with a partner, with one person reading the part of Duckling and one reading the part of Pigeon.
--Try other Mo Willems books: any of the Elephant and Piggie series (Today I Will Fly, My Friend is Sad, There is a Bird on Your Head!, etc.), Knuffle Bunny, Knuffle Bunny Too, etc.
--Compare the illustrations of Pigeon and Duckling with another illustrator who animates animals (like Rosemary Wells in Morris's Disappearing Bag). How do the illustrators show emotions in animals?
--Have students write their own glowing description of their favorite food. How would they describe it to someone who had never tasted it before?
--With older students, use this book as an example for a writing minilesson about effectively using dialogue to move a story forward.