Authors & Illustrators
Mo Willems
Mo Willem’s first foray into children's books was the innovative "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!", which appeared on many "best book" lists and won a prestigious American Prize, the Caldecott Honor, in 2004. Mo grew up during the 1970s, so he always looked kind of goofy. One time in his school's art class, Mo's teacher told him to stop drawing cartoons all the time. At age eighteen, Mo moved temporarily to London to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comic. He quickly established himself and somehow managed to get a spot in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before returning to America to become a film student. At New York University he discovered animation and quickly became entranced by the ability to make movies without having to beg a crew to help him. Here he discovered the work of Ronald Searle and the UPA animation studio, both of which influenced his deceptively simple, graphic drawing style. After graduating from college, he travelled around the world for a year, returning with ridiculous sideburns. A quick shave later, he returned to New York and became an animator and writer for TV, most notably for Sesame Street (where he won six Emmys for his writing). He then wrote for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Mo’s other books include "Knuffle Bunny" and "Leonardo the Terrible Monster".
