Review by Booklist Review
PreS. In this follow-up to Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus BKL S 1 03, the wheedling pigeon with the short fuse meets his match. Oooooh! A hot dog! he cries, as he zooms in for a landing on the first page. Before he can enjoy his scavenged treat, though, a little duckling scuttles over and begins asking numerous questions: Is that a \lquote hot dog'? What do they taste like? The pigeon loses his temper in a wing-flapping rant before the duckling innocently suggests that they share the dog, thus sparing the pigeon the frustration of having to explain the taste. Share it they do, but the pigeon knows he has been had: You know, you're pretty smart for a duckling. Once again, Willems uses artistic minimalism (each page shows only the birds and the hot dog, rendered in basic lines) and spare, hilarious dialogue to convey surprisingly realistic emotions. 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. --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, the hero was subordinate to an unseen person who withheld bus-driving permission; here he has the dominant role and must placate his own pesky interloper, as he bargains with a duckling over a discarded hot dog. The tale, conveyed in the same pleasing emotive dialogue and gestures, opens with the pigeon's thrilled discovery of the title snack: "Oooooh! A hot dog!/ Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!" Suddenly, a smaller yellow bird enters from the lower right corner and asks, in rounded lower-case letters, "Is that a `hot dog'?" "Not a hot dog; my hot dog," the pigeon sniffs, but his reply gives the duckling a rhetorical advantage. "What do they taste like?" it wonders aloud. The pigeon knows the duckling's disingenuous game, but his suspicious, hooded eyes and frowning beak suggest uncertainty. The trickster, meanwhile, regards the pigeon through flirtatious blue eyes and coyly tilts its teardrop shaped beak. The pigeon glares at the audience ("Can you believe this guy!?!"), shouts "That's it!" in bold two-inch-tall caps and throws an eight-stage temper tantrum before splitting the wiener in half. "Hmmmm, needs mustard," says the duck. Through voice bubbles, body language, and expressive sizes and shapes of type, Willems crafts a comical give-and-take between the characters. He sketches both iconic birds in decisive crayony lines and tints the pages with smooth pastel hues. Readers of all ages won't be able to resist miming the sly conversation in this satisfying sequel. Ages 2-6. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Sure, he couldn't drive the bus, but will he have more success with a hot dog? The pigeon is back in this animated version of the book (Hyperion, 2004) by Mo Willems. In a twist, the hot dog is knocked from the end-papers by the bus driver from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (Hyperion, 2003; Weston Woods, 2009). Then the pigeon discovers it. What rapture! What bliss! What's that small voice? Yes, it's a duckling with many questions about hot dogs. The pigeon is caught between avarice and guilt, but settles on sharing. This hilarious yet simple story is done up in a splendiferous and rollicking fashion with simple yet fun animation and background colors and music that reflect every change in the pigeon's mood. The pigeon is enthusiastically voiced by Willems, while the duckling's part is performed by his daughter Trixie. A nice bonus is a 13-minute "Behind the Scenes" segment with Pete List, the director and animator, who explains the process of making an animated film. Students involved in their own short animation projects will find this a valuable resource. Subtitles are optional. This production will tickle viewers both young and old.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Preschool, Primary) He's baaack! The impetuous pigeon from Willems's Caldecott Honor-winning Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (rev. 7/03) sets his sights here not on a joy ride but on something just as thrilling (for a pigeon): a discarded hot dog. Just as the goggle-eyed scavenger is about to devour this ""taste sensation"" in a bun, he's interrupted by a little duckling who ""scooty scoot scoots"" onto the page and asks innocently, ""Is that a 'hot dog'?"" The pigeon's irritated expression says it all: that duckling (a younger child/sibling stand-in) is horning in on his territory--""Not a hot dog; my hot dog."" The hot-headed pigeon humorously wrestles with a minor moral dilemma (to share or not to share) that will immediately resonate with the listening audience. In the end, the not-as-naive-as-he-appears duckling gets what he wants (half the hot dog and the pigeon's respect) while allowing the pigeon to save face--a triumph no matter which bird you identify with. Cartoonist Willems is as adept at depicting the daily dramas in a child's life as he is in using subtle changes in line to convey shifting emotions. The book's clean, minimalist design lets the duckling/pigeon performance take center stage, and the dialogue between the two is played for maximum laughs. Maybe the pigeon's shtick isn't as original this time around, but he's such an engaging character that it's still a treat to see him again. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The determined pigeon of the Caldecott Honor-winning Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (2003) returns in a more subdued performance that will nevertheless appeal to fans of the first. The pigeon is about to eat the hot dog he's found, when a sly, persevering, small yellow duckling "scooty scoot scoots" up with a series of questions and comments. Willems again expertly captures the personality and emotions of the droll pigeon ("not a hot dog; my hot dog") and the "guest star" duckling, who manages to trick the pigeon into giving him what he wants, taking notes about the taste of a hot dog. "Each morsel is a joy! A celebration in a bun!" says Pigeon. "Does it taste like chicken?" asks the winsome duck. Another tantrum ensues, but the hot dog is split and shared. Duckling tops off his triumph with a complaint that gives him the final word, "Hmm . . . needs mustard." Some readers may feel this tale could also use a bit more mustard, but children who already love the pigeon will be satisfied. (Picture book. 2-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
