Mo Willems
Encyclopedia
Mo Willems is an American
writer, animator
, and children's books author/illustrator.
. He graduated cum laude from New York University
's Tisch School of the Arts
. He married Cheryl Camp in Brooklyn
, New York, in 1997. Willems now resides with his family in Northampton, Massachusetts
.
Returning to New York
, he kicked off his career as a writer and animator for Sesame Street
, where he earned six Emmy Awards for writing during his tenure from 1993 to January 2002. During this period he also performed stand-up comedy in NYC and recorded essays for BBC Radio
along with making a promo for Cartoon Network
and animating the opening for a show
on Nickelodeon
. He later created two animated television series: The Off-Beats for Nickelodeon
's Kablam, and Sheep in the Big City
for Cartoon Network
. Sheep in the Big City was a success with the critics but ultimately failed to attract sufficient viewership and was canceled after two seasons. Willems later worked as head writer on the first four seasons of Codename: Kids Next Door
, created by one of his colleagues from Sheep, Tom Warburton. He left the show to pursue his writing career.
Since 2003, Willems has authored numerous books for young children, many of which have garnered significant critical acclaim. The New York Times Book Review
referred to Willems as "the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the 00's" — and to his pigeon character as "one of this decade's contributions to the pantheon of great picture book characters."
Three of Willems' books have been awarded a Caldecott Honor: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
(2004), Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
(2005), and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity
(2008). Recently he has been creating the Elephant and Piggie
books, an early reader series about a friendly elephant and pig. Elephant and Piggie won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal
in 2008 and 2009, and a Geisel Honor in 2011. In 2010, Willems introduced a new series of books featuring Cat the Cat
, also aimed at early readers.
He has made several appearances on NPR
's All Things Considered
as the show's "radio cartoonist" since 2008.
Willems' books have been translated into a number of languages, spawned animated shorts that have twice been awarded the Carnegie Medal
(Knuffle Bunny, 2007, and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, 2010), and been developed into theatrical musical productions. His illustrations, wire sculpture, and carved ceramics have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the nation.
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
Thanks and Giving All Year Long
Everyman for Himself
Bizarro World
Rush Hour: Reckless
Guys Write for Guys Read
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer, animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, and children's books author/illustrator.
Early life
Willems was raised in New Orleans, where he graduated from Trinity Episcopal School and the Isidore Newman SchoolIsidore Newman School
Isidore Newman School is a private, nondenominational, co-educational college preparatory school located on an campus in the Uptown section of New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:...
. He graduated cum laude from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
. He married Cheryl Camp in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York, in 1997. Willems now resides with his family in Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
.
Career
After graduating from Tisch, Willems spent a year traveling around the world drawing a cartoon every day, all of which have been published in the book You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons.Returning to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, he kicked off his career as a writer and animator for Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, where he earned six Emmy Awards for writing during his tenure from 1993 to January 2002. During this period he also performed stand-up comedy in NYC and recorded essays for BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
along with making a promo for Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
and animating the opening for a show
Nicktoons Film Festival
The Nicktoons Animation Festival is an annual event that was created by producer Fred Seibert and produced for its first three years by his Frederator Studios. Founded in 2004 to showcase the diversity of worldwide animation filmmaking, it is the largest multiplatform animation festival in North...
on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon is a US cable TV channel.Nickelodeon may also refer to:-In television:*Spinoffs of the Nickelodeon channel:** Nickelodeon Magazine, a children's magazine.** Nickelodeon Universe, an amusement park....
. He later created two animated television series: The Off-Beats for Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
's Kablam, and Sheep in the Big City
Sheep in the Big City
Sheep in the Big City is an American animated television series which ran on Cartoon Network for two seasons, from November 4, 2000 to April 7, 2002....
for Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. Sheep in the Big City was a success with the critics but ultimately failed to attract sufficient viewership and was canceled after two seasons. Willems later worked as head writer on the first four seasons of Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door, also known as Kids Next Door or by its acronym KND, is an American animated television series created by Tom Warburton and produced by Curious Pictures in Santa Monica, California.. The series debuted on Cartoon Network on December 6, 2002 and aired its final episode on...
, created by one of his colleagues from Sheep, Tom Warburton. He left the show to pursue his writing career.
Since 2003, Willems has authored numerous books for young children, many of which have garnered significant critical acclaim. The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
referred to Willems as "the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the 00's" — and to his pigeon character as "one of this decade's contributions to the pantheon of great picture book characters."
Three of Willems' books have been awarded a Caldecott Honor: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. Released by Hyperion Press in 2003, it was Willems' first book for children, and received the Caldecott Honor. The plot is about a bus driver who has to leave so he asks the reader to watch the Pigeon. The pigeon tries...
(2004), Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. Released by Hyperion Books in 2004, an illustrated version of the book won the 2005 Caldecott Honor and a Carnegie Medal in 2007. In August 2007, the sequel, Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity was published...
(2005), and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity
Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity
Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. A sequel to Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, it was released on September 4, 2007 and reached the number one spot on the New York Times Bestseller List for children's books.In the book, a young girl named...
(2008). Recently he has been creating the Elephant and Piggie
Elephant and Piggie
Elephant and Piggie is a book series for early readers by Mo Willems. The series, which debuted in 2007 with two books, is done in a comic book style, and features two friends: an elephant, Gerald, and a pig, Piggie. The books are written in conversational style with Piggie's words appearing in...
books, an early reader series about a friendly elephant and pig. Elephant and Piggie won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal
Geisel Award
Established in 2004, the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is given annually to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The winner receive a bronze medal at the ALA Annual Conference...
in 2008 and 2009, and a Geisel Honor in 2011. In 2010, Willems introduced a new series of books featuring Cat the Cat
Cat the Cat
Cat the Cat is a book series for very early readers by award-winning children's author and illustrator Mo Willems. The series debuted in February 2010 with the publication of two books, with additional books slated to follow soon thereafter....
, also aimed at early readers.
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
as the show's "radio cartoonist" since 2008.
Willems' books have been translated into a number of languages, spawned animated shorts that have twice been awarded the Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video
The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video was named in honor of nineteenth-century American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It honors the producer of the most outstanding video production for children...
(Knuffle Bunny, 2007, and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, 2010), and been developed into theatrical musical productions. His illustrations, wire sculpture, and carved ceramics have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the nation.
As author
- Pigeon series
- Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. Released by Hyperion Press in 2003, it was Willems' first book for children, and received the Caldecott Honor. The plot is about a bus driver who has to leave so he asks the reader to watch the Pigeon. The pigeon tries...
— Caldecott Honor 2004 - Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! is a bestselling children's picture book by Mo Willems. Released by Hyperion Press in 2006, it is part of Willems's "Pigeon" series...
- The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!
- The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too!
- The Pigeon Loves Things That Go!
- The Pigeon Wants a Puppy
- Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
- Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary TaleKnuffle Bunny: A Cautionary TaleKnuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. Released by Hyperion Books in 2004, an illustrated version of the book won the 2005 Caldecott Honor and a Carnegie Medal in 2007. In August 2007, the sequel, Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity was published...
— Caldecott Honor 2005 - Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken IdentityKnuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken IdentityKnuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. A sequel to Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, it was released on September 4, 2007 and reached the number one spot on the New York Times Bestseller List for children's books.In the book, a young girl named...
— Caldecott Honor 2008 - Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected DiversionKnuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected DiversionKnuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion is a children's picture book by author and illustrator Mo Willems. It was released on September 28, 2010 by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins. It is the third and final book in Willem's Knuffle Bunny series, which also includes Knuffle Bunny: A...
- Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was ExtinctEdwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was ExtinctEdwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. It was released in 2006 by Hyperion Books....
- Leonardo, the Terrible MonsterLeonardo, the Terrible MonsterLeonardo, the Terrible Monster is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. An ALA Notable Book, it was released in 2005 by Hyperion Books....
- Time to Pee!Time to Pee!Time to Pee! is a children's picture book by Mo Willems. Released in 2003 by Hyperion Books, it is a book about toilet training. It also contains a progress chart and a page of motivational stickers. The book's instructions are presented by a group of mice toting signs and banners...
- Time to Say "Please"! — a book about manners (2005, Hyperion Books)
- You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When It Monsoons — a compilation of cartoons Willems drew while taking a year-long backpacking trip around the world (2006, Hyperion Books)
- Elephant and PiggieElephant and PiggieElephant and Piggie is a book series for early readers by Mo Willems. The series, which debuted in 2007 with two books, is done in a comic book style, and features two friends: an elephant, Gerald, and a pig, Piggie. The books are written in conversational style with Piggie's words appearing in...
series- Today I Will Fly!
- My Friend is Sad
- There is Bird on Your Head!
- I Am Invited to a Party!
- I Will Surprise my Friend!
- I Love My New Toy!
- Are You Ready to Play Outside?
- Watch Me Throw the Ball!
- Pigs Make Me Sneeze!
- Elephants Cannot Dance!
- I Am Going!
- Can I Play Too?
- We Are In a Book!
- I Broke My Trunk!
- Should I Share My Ice Cream?
- Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed
- Big Frog Can't Fit In: A pop-up bookPop-up bookThe term pop-up book is often applied to any three-dimensional or movable book, although properly the umbrella term movable book covers pop-ups, transformations, tunnel books, volvelles, flaps, pull-tabs, pop-outs, pull-downs, and more, each of which performs in a different manner...
- Cat the CatCat the CatCat the Cat is a book series for very early readers by award-winning children's author and illustrator Mo Willems. The series debuted in February 2010 with the publication of two books, with additional books slated to follow soon thereafter....
series- Cat the Cat, Who Is That?
- Let's Say Hi to Friends Who Fly
- What's Your Sound, Hound the Hound?
- Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep!
- City Dog, Country Frog (2010, Hyperion Books)
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
Thanks and Giving All Year Long
Everyman for Himself
Bizarro World
Rush Hour: Reckless
Guys Write for Guys Read
As animator
- Crazy Owen (promo for Cartoon NetworkCartoon NetworkCartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
) (1995) - Suzie Kabloozie & The Letter F (1996)
- The OffbeatsKaBlam!KaBlam! is an American animated television series that ran on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2000. Then it moved to The N on April 15, 2002 as part of its The N's Saturday Nights block...
(1996-1998) - Octopus On Your Head" (1997)
- Suzie Kabloozie's Telephone (1997)
- Short Films by Short PeopleNicktoons Film FestivalThe Nicktoons Animation Festival is an annual event that was created by producer Fred Seibert and produced for its first three years by his Frederator Studios. Founded in 2004 to showcase the diversity of worldwide animation filmmaking, it is the largest multiplatform animation festival in North...
(show open) (1997)