by Mo Willems
Part of Pigeon, book 4
First published 2005
The bus driver has a simple request for Pigeon: just act happy. But Pigeon has other plans. This determined bird cycles through his full range of feelings, from grumpy to defiant to downright indignant. He refuses to smile on command or pretend everything is fine when it clearly is not. The bus driver keeps trying different approaches to coax some cheerfulness out of his feathered adversary, but Pigeon digs in his heels. Why should he fake happiness just because someone tells him to? Through bold illustrations and Pigeon's characteristic dramatic flair, young readers watch this familiar standoff unfold. The story captures the universal struggle between what adults want children to feel and what children actually experience in the moment.
Genres: fiction, humor, contemporary
Vibes: thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers
12 pages · Board Book · Hyperion Books for Children