I would tell you about it, but who wants to waste time describing a mostly-picture book? Therefore I took the liberty to snap phone-pictures of my favorite pages so that you can get the full experience. Hopefully this isn't illegal or breaking any book copyright laws. For the record, this is less than half of the book, and I'm not telling you how it ends, so you need to go read it for yourself.
(In case you've never read any books about our friend Pigeon, here's what you need to know: He always wants something he can't have. Sometimes it's to drive a bus, sometimes it's to eat a hotdog, sometimes it's to get a puppy...but whatever it is he wants, he REALLY REALLY wants it and has LOTS of convincing reasons why he should get it.)
So this story starts with a new friend, Duckling, asking an unseen force for a cookie...
...which he immediately receives.
But then our trusty hero the Pigeon arrives, and he's a little curious about how Duckling got such a tasty treat.
Pigeon very quickly loses his ever-loving mind. What??! The stupid duckling got a cookie just because he asked for it???
Naturally, this reminds Pigeon of the zillions of times in life he has asked for something-- AND NOT RECEIVED IT. So he starts ranting.
Pages like this make me think that if Pigeon was a blogger (or a real person), we'd be BFF.
Bitter much, Pigeon?
It sure isn't, bro. NOT FAIR AT ALL.
Pigeon, I ask myself this question EVERY FREAKING DAY. Why did YOU get that cookie?!??!?!?!
Except I'm not (usually) talking about cookies.
And so this is how I came to find myself shedding a little tear and raising a fist of solidarity to salute my pigeon-bro today. Even though real pigeons are my sworn enemies. I'm not above making a hate-exception for a fictional bird so deserving.
These pigeon books drive me nuts but you've actually made me like them a little more. And somehow you managed to make me laugh out loud and get teary-eyed all in one post.
ReplyDeleteI hate that you are able to identify so well with the pigeon. :( So sorry, friend. But I am glad that while the duckling was asking no one in particular, we ask Someone very specific (did that come across as a Jesus Juke? Not my intention at all, I promise).
ReplyDeleteMakes me sad for the little pigeon/Erika :(
ReplyDeleteHa I love this! Hate that you are the pigeon and not the duckie in this story, but still love the comparison- so true! But tell me this- was there really no resolution to the story?
ReplyDeletebeautiful! and perfect! and sad! interesting children's book, but maybe if I'd learned when I was little that you can't always get what you want, nor can you be anything you want, I might be a little saner today.
ReplyDeleteLIke Amanda said - love the comparison but hate this for you. UGH! Why is life so unfair? I have a lot of questions to ask God one day and this is one of them!!
ReplyDeleteI love the Pigeon books (my first grade artists do a project inspired by Willems and his pigeon every year!). I'll look at these books differently from now on! I hate that you are still waiting for your cookie because I know you have asked politely and I know you are very deserving of a cookie!
ReplyDeleteI WANT A COOKIE!!! Hey, did you ever read the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie..." He ends up wanting a whole lot more. But I think we'd be plenty satisfied if we just got our flippin' cookies already! :) Unrelated note: I saw not one, but two dead armadillos last weekend and thought of you and your quest to find a live one. So frustrating!!!
ReplyDeleteThat cookie looked delicious. However, if got my very own, live cookie I probably wouldn't eat it. Just hang out with it. And stuff. ;)
ReplyDelete:( Praying you get your cookies really soon. (Notice I used cookie in the plural form!)
ReplyDelete