Mo Willems and Me

     Yesterday Adam was watching PBS while I was getting ready for the day in the next room.  Mo Willems was on and he was talking about his books and illustrations.  He said that writing for kids is harder than writing for adults.  I agree.  Kids are almost aliens to me and it is really hard to plan to be funny.  My funnies happen when I least expect it.

Stolen from Mo Willems web site.

     Mr. Willems also said that he purposely makes his illustrations simple enough to be reasonably drawn be a five year old.  I love that type of artistry because it is the limit of my artistic talent.  Last year, Ava drew nothing but the pigeon.  I thought she was so talented because the drawing looked exactly like the original.  Who new Mr. Mo was so sneaky, tricking parents into thinking their children are geniuses and therefore making the self-fulfilling prophesy theory true.
     You see, Ava was struggling in school so much last year that she was in resource.  She worked really hard, and drew the pigeon over and over again, which made her a genius.  I helped in her classroom yesterday.  I took each child into the hall and they read lists of words to me.  Ava read almost all 100 easily.  She is now in the top five smartest and best readers in her class.  A switch was flipped and she just got it.  I am so impressed.  Thank you, Mo Willems,  from the bottom of my heart for making my child a genius.