Book Review
A short overview of this book
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems is a great book for talking to kids about how hard it can be to say no. Especially when someone tries their hardest to get you to change your mind. This lesson is an important part of protective behaviours, as kids may be coerced or tricked into doing something they don’t want to do. So you can use the book to start conversations about what they can do if someone is trying to get them to do something they don’t want to do.
My children and I loved this book, as it is fun and involves your child during the reading (watch the video and you’ll see what I mean).
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 3 to 5 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, your friendly Sex Ed Rescue educator. Today, I want to talk about a super cool book that can help kids understand the concept of manipulation. It’s called Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive The Bus by Mo Willems. Trust me, it’s a gem!
So, what’s the story all about? Well, it’s about a bus driver who needs to step away for a bit and asks someone to watch the bus. But here’s the catch: he specifically tells them not to let the pigeon drive the bus. And guess what? The pigeon really, really wants to drive that bus!
What I love about this book is that it’s not only fun to read, but it also sparks important conversations with your kids. As you read it together, you can ask questions like, Can the pigeon drive the bus? And your child can respond with a resounding No! because, hey, the bus driver said so! Or maybe they’ll say Yes, and you can gently remind them that the bus driver clearly said the pigeon couldn’t drive.
But here’s where it gets interesting. The pigeon starts pestering and trying to trick you into letting him drive. He comes up with all sorts of excuses and even pretends that his cousin drives the bus. Sneaky, right? But through it all, you can discuss with your child how sometimes people might try to pressure us into doing things we don’t want to do or things that aren’t safe.
This book is like a secret weapon for teaching consent. It helps kids understand that it’s okay to say no when they don’t want to do something, even if their friends are all doing it. It opens up conversations about making choices that feel right for them and staying safe.
For example, you can ask your child what they would do if their friends wanted to leave the park, but their mom said they had to stay. Would they go with their friends or listen to their mom? It’s all about exploring different scenarios and discussing how to handle those situations.
I can’t stress enough how much my own kids loved this book. It’s a fun and engaging way to talk about consent and boundaries. And the best part? It’s a book you can easily borrow from the library if you don’t have a copy at home.
I hope this review helps you see the value of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive The Bus and how it can be a fantastic tool for starting important conversations with your kids. Cheers!
