Mo Willems feels like he is going to second grade again. The acclaimed kid’s creator is the first-ever Education Artist-in-Residence at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and even with all his awards and bestsellers, he says it’s quite frightening.
“I get to be sincerely, virtually terrified in all styles of new different ways,” Willems says — however, that does not mean he is no longer laughing. “There are these sandboxes I do not typically play in.”
Willems — who created the Pigeon collection, Knuffle Bunny, and Elephant & Piggie — is exploring all varieties of artistic sandboxes at the Kennedy Center. He’s participating with Ben Folds on a “symphonic impressive”; he is working with Jason Moran on a Jazz Doodle Jam and adapting Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus right into a musical.
In addition to delighting kids, Willems hopes he’ll inspire a few grown-ups. He says that children will create if they see the adults around them developing — and it doesn’t be counted in case you’re “excellent.”
“There’s no such element as an incorrect doodle. There’s no such thing as an incorrect cartoon. You cannot concentrate on music incorrectly,” he says.
Willems talks with NPR about his innovative method, shares some advice for Dad and Mom, and explains why Pigeon is like Sophocles.
Interview Highlights
On why you have to draw along with your kids
If you need your child to be creative — to draw, be empathetic, and be musical, you must do the one that matters. You have to be sitting there drawing. You must be modeling this stuff. When you ask your child to be musical, you should be flowing.
That day takes place in almost every person’s life when they comprehend they’re not going to be an expert basketball participant, and it’s a heartbreaking day. However, kids nonetheless play basketball. And it’s due to the fact Dad remains playing basketball. If Dad was drawing regardless, the children might still be drawing. …
I suppose every so often, the greatest issue you could say to a kid is if a child says, “Hey Mom, will you do this for me?” or “Make me a sandwich,” or something — say, “Not now, I’m drawing.”
I do not know if I can explain him — I can describe him. Pigeon has needs, wants, dreams, and few filters. He wants what he needs; he thinks he wishes what he wishes. He is railing on the injustice of it all. And the irony is that the children who’re commonly struggling with the injustice of it all, the youngsters who’re being told while to visit mattress, or what to do, or to eat, or a way to consume, or the way to dress — the second one they get to paste it to the Pigeon, they do. …
I did not think I would write down any other Pigeon ebook… But he hides in all my different books and pokes at my brain, simply getting angry that I’m, you already know, exploring other avenues. …
I try to suppose that the Pigeon is a core, fundamental, philosophical being. He is looking for the essential, deep questions: What is love? Why are things the manner they are? Why can not I get what I need? Why can not I power a bus? I mean, you realize, Sophocles.
On the most up-to-date Pigeon ebook, Pigeon HAS to Go to School!
For me, a closing couple of years — simply in phrases of the information and the tradition — there’s been all this uncertainty. Each day, you wake up and do not know what will happen next. And I started to comprehend that it is not like moving to school. There’s this entirely new paradigm that you are ill-organized for. And that has to bring up positive emotions, feelings, and passions.
