Growing a Reader: Kids' Books, Tips and More

Each November, there is a renewed focus on raising awareness for men's health issues through a charitable movement called Movember. This is indeed a worthwhile endeavor, but let's also take a moment to celebrate another "Mo" this month...author Mo Willems!

Toronto Public Library has quite an extensive collection of books by Mo Willems, one that is growing larger all the time.

Mo's latest work is a wonderful picture book called Nanette's Baguette. It is full of delightfully toothsome rhymes and deliciously tempting bread. It is a perfect introduction to Willems' whimsical world of books and will probably become a new Mo fan favourite.

Although we said a fond farewell to Elephant and Piggie earlier this year, we can still enjoy reading with them through Mo Willems' new beginner reader series "Elephant & Piggie Like Reading".  

One of this series' first books is We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller which has the same silly sense of humour and adventure as any one of Gerald and Piggie's classic stories.

And this is just a small taste of the wonder and whimsy that Willems has to offer.

So read "Mo" books and celebrate Mo Willems this November...maybe share a dance with Elephant and Piggie or step into Nanette's world. And if you're on social media, why not pop on over to The Pigeon's Twitter page and ask him to say thank you to his friend Mo; I have a feeling he might just say:

Drawing credited to Mo Willems as found in the back of his "The Thank You Book".