I’m a sucker for children’s books, ranging from YA literature to picture books for toddlers. I just love, love the world of children’s books. More often than not, if I stop in at the library or the local Barnes & Nobles, you’ll probably find me in the children’s/young adult sections, browsing the latest and greatest newly published. And at home, I always find myself poking around the stacks of books the kids bring home from the library.

Picture books are so much fun; most adults look down their noses at children’s books and assume that if it’s packaged for kids, it’s stupid or not nearly as fun as adult books. This attitude is especially so for picture books. Now there are picture books that deserve this attitude; just like there are adult books that are just plain ill-written and stupid, there are picture books that are ill-written and stupid.

And then there are gems.

Like the Pigeon books.

Oh, we love the Pigeon books.

We love Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late. And then there’s Pigeon Finds a Hotdog and Pigeon Wants a Puppy.

Every single one just so much stinkin’ fun, even Jewels, the baby, has them memorized.

It’s hard to pick a favorite of the Pigeon books, but I guess I have to say that I’m a sucker for the very first one: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. The whimsical illustrations combined with the hilarious story-lines make this book a slam-dunk for the kids, big and small, at our house. And it’s one book that I don’t mind reading over and over again for the little kids because it’s so much fun even after the twentieth time.

It’s the story of a Pigeon who wants to drive the bus. But we’ve been warned DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS. So our intrepid Pigeon friend is determined to convince us that it’s a brilliant beyond brilliant idea to let him learn to drive the bus.

It’s quirky, adorable and chock full of quotability. After all, Pigeons have dreams, too, you know!

(PS – As demonstration of my inner-kid-book-lit geekiness, I confess…yes, I do have the t-shirt!)

Are you a Pigeon fan? What’s your favorite children’s picture book?