Don't Let The Pigeon Run This App by Mo Willems Launches from Disney

On Friday we had the opportunity to lunch with Mo Willems and learn more about his darling new Pigeon app, "Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App!" from Disney Publishing Worldwide.

You may know Mo Willems as the Caldecott Honor-winning author of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale,

the Elephant and Piggie book series, and the famed Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! He led the design, writing, voicing, and illustrating of the app and you can feel his touch as you interact and play through it: the animation, a Pigeon drawing tutorial, or shaking the pigeon to begin a story. Mo even voiced the app himself.

I took the Kiddo along with me, and he was on a mission: find out once and for all whether Knuffle Bunny is pronounced "Kuh-nuffle" or "Nuffle." Of course, since the event was held at Magnolia Bakery on Manhattan's Upper West Side, his secondary goal was to eat as many cupcakes as possible.

Mo chatted with everyone - explaining that he often has ideas for books long before they're written and published, much like this Pigeon app. It was important to him that the app was interactive and required kids to be present while they played along. He didn't want the app to run on its own independent of the child. I'm sure this is why the app is led by the player - creating their own stories or drawings at their own pace.

The Pigeon app engages the imagination with thoughtful play, all the while encouraging reading and art skills. When asked if he's planning another app, he said that he doesn't do something because he can, but because he thinks it'll be awesome. From the introduction we've seen of "Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App," we're thinking he's got that in the bag.

For the Kiddo's big Q&A, he discovered that everyone can pronounce Knuffle Bunny exactly as they'd like for themselves. There's no one right way. Of course, he trumped his question with another: will Mo ever write "Don't Let the Pigeon Poop On The People?" When my initial horror subsided, I pondered whether the Kiddo is as clever as the question may seem. He doesn't use vulgar words everyday, and we do chat about pigeons when we encounter them around NYC (often comparing them to the birds in Bolt) . . . so it is a valid concern. ;-)

Mo told the Kiddo that that story was his own to write. I've no doubt that he will with this app.

"Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App!" is available for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for $6.99 in the iTunes App Store. For more information, visit www.disneybookapps.com and www.facebook.com/DisneyDigitalBooks

 

 

 

Comments

[Becky]

The app sounds really good. However, I want to read the Kiddo's book. Maybe you should write it together. Which reminds me of when one of the men I worked with was showered with Pigeon droppings down the back of his head, shirt, and suit coat while strolling the sidewalks downtown during lunch. He had to go home and completely change. I still chuckle about that one!