Happy Halloween!

Here's a pictorial rundown of some costumes from past years!

 
 

 

Elephant & Piggie!

Okay, these are the official guys, but still!

From the Pigeon Musical

From the Knuffle Musical

Have a happy day out there!

If you and your monkey are getting dressed up as one of my characters this year, let the folks at Hyperion know (click on 'contact us').  We'd love to see your creations!

DIGITAL PIGEON (hows & whys)

I'll be visiting the Apple store in NYC's Upper West Side Saturday morning at 10am (if you're in the neighborhood, stop by).  Why an Apple store, instead of a book shop?

Well, for the last million months or so we've been working on a Pigeon Application entitled, DON'T LET THE PIGEON RUN THIS APP!

This project is, ironically, an outgrowth of my distaste for 'enhanced' digital books, which I feel tend to ignore narrative with their distracting bells and whistles, while also making the readers input irrelevant. (You can see more of my thought process about real books v. electronic books in this transcription of the 2011 Zena Sutherland Lecture that I gave earlier this year in Chicago.)

I've concluded that Books and Apps are different media, like radio, or film.  Just like a film adaptation of a book takes the concept and changes it to meed the needs of the film media. This is not an e-book, rather an 'application' of the Pigeon being thwarted by his audience. I want my work to be played, so I needed to insure that the child would be essential to the running of the experience.  I want kids, like myself, to participate, not just consume.

I think we've managed that with this Application, which is why I'm proud of it.  Kids can create their OWN Pigeon stories either by choosing from a menu or recording their ideas as to what and why the Pigeon can't get what he wants.  In addition, kids can learn to draw the Pigeon along with me, something I hope will help them flourish as the authors and illustrators they already are.

Personally, it was fun to work on this project.  We brought back voice actor Ken Schatz, who has been doing voices for me since my first Sesame Street film in 1994 and Pete List provided superb animation along with a really interesting, dedicated team at Hyperion/Disney.

click to enlarge

Oh, and it's fun to play!

I'll be explaining this App more over the coming weeks, so you'll get a better sense of what it is.

Of course, you can always pop over to the Apple Store and get a copy for your device.  If you do, I hope you as much fun playing as we had making it.

The Phantom Tollbooth 50th Anniversary Edition publishes TODAY!

I'm thrilled to have an essay included in the 50th Anniversary Edition of my pal Norton Juster's classic chapter book, The Phantom Tollbooth.

I hope you enjoy the essay and reading (or re-reading) this great American book.

Available at your favorite library, bookstore, or here.

We Are In a Book! wins a Blue Crab + mo' news!

Many thanks to the Maryland Library Association for bestowing Elephant and Piggie's WE ARE IN A BOOK! with the 2011 Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award for Beginning Fiction!

Librarians rock!

Thanks to you HAPPY PIG DAY! will spend it's second week on the NYTimes Bestseller list at #4 and it's first time on the PW Bestseller list (also at #4) Huzzah!

Thanks to Booklist for their nice review of HAPPY PIG DAY!


School Library Journal has a nice review too.  They say:

The animated characters convey emotion and humor; masterful use of white space and comic-style text bubbles will inspire repeated readings. Another hit for Willems.

Speaking of reviews, the touring production of KNUFFLE BUNNY, A CAUTIONARY MUSICAL, just stopped in Nashville, TN, where they received a glowing review.  Here's an interview with "Trixie" (Tia Shearer) in the Columbia GA paper. I look forward to catching this leg of the show in Pittsfield, MA and Washington, DC.

If you're the sort of person who likes to win things, here's a giveaway for a copy of the brand new Mo Willems Cartoon Collection Vol. 2.

In blog news, I'm off to NYC for a week, including an event tomorrow, work, a visit to the Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators , and another event.  Posting will be erratic, but you can always visit the Pigeon to see his tweets.

The AV Club on CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG

The AV Club, whose interviews are always insightful, has posted a feature about their favorite children's television, film, and books that deal with mortality and CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG made their list.

More than one parent on this last tour told me that the book had been helpful to their family during a difficult time and for that I'm grateful.

See ya in Manhattan (NEW EVENT) + Red Elephant Redux...

A quick note about a public appearance that has just been rescheduled. 

I'll be making a special appearance at Manhattan Upper West Side's Apple Store [1981 Broadway New York City, NY 10023 (212) 209-3400] on Saturday October 29th at 10am.  
 

Speaking of past appearances,  The Red Elephant has been hanging out at the Eric Carle Museum for a few weeks now, but here's a radio piece featuring myself, my fabricator, and painter with DJ Monte Belmonte from before the installation.

The Mo Willems Cartoon Collection Volume 2 releases today!

Today sees the release of the 2nd volume of The Mo Willems Cartoon Collection, featuring the award-wining animated versions of THE PIGEON FINDS A HOT DOG!, KNUFFLE BUNNY TOO, and NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED.  Also included is a documentary about my work, and updated interview, and a really great piece with animator Pete List about the process of making the Pigeon come to life (this doc is a fantastic intro to the process of animation).

I'm proud of these shorts, which include the voice work of myself, my wife, and daughter, Trixie.

The DVD is available at your favorite store or library, or ordered on line here!

If you enjoy these films, be sure to check out The Mo Willems Cartoon Collection Vol 1.!

Tour redux!

The HAPPY PIG DAY TOUR was great fun!  Thousands of folks came out to visit, hear stories, and meet Elephant and Piggie (who were driving around in their own ELEPHANT & PIGGIE MOBILE).

Here are a few pix from the events:

Here's how the tour looked to a 9 year old reporter.

Huzzah!

(And thanks to you, HAPPY PIG DAY! debuts this week on the New York Times Bestseller list at #4)

Hope to see you next time I hit the road.