TL;DR: If you’ve read Elephant & Piggie so many times you can recite Gerald’s existential crises in your sleep, it’s time to branch out. For the chaotic energy of a toddler, start with Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!. For a more emotional, cinematic vibe, go with Knuffle Bunny. If your kid is ready for longer "chapter-ish" books, grab the Unlimited Squirrels series. And for the 2025 vibe, check out Be the Bus: The Lost & Found Wisdom of The Pigeon.
We’ve all been there. It’s 7:15 PM, you’re exhausted, and your kid hands you a book they’ve already made you read three times today. If that book is part of the Elephant & Piggie series, you’re actually in luck because they’re objectively hilarious. But even the best "BFF" dynamic between a neurotic elephant and a cheeky pig can wear thin after the 500th reading.
Mo Willems is basically the Pixar of the picture book world. He understands that parents are the ones stuck reading these things, so he builds in layers of humor that hit differently for us than they do for a five-year-old. But his catalog is huge. Where do you go once you’ve graduated from "I’m a frog!" jokes?
Here is your roadmap through the Mo Willems universe, from the chaotic to the sentimental.
If Elephant & Piggie is about emotional intelligence and friendship, The Pigeon is about the raw, unbridled id of a toddler. The Pigeon is manipulative, loud, irrational, and desperate for things he shouldn't have. Kids love him because they are him.
This is the OG. It’s interactive in the best way—your kid has to say "NO!" to the Pigeon. It’s a great way to let them feel powerful for once. If your kid is currently in a "power struggle" phase, this book is a necessary release valve.
This is one of the more recent entries and it’s gold for talking about anxiety and expectation vs. reality. The Pigeon spends the whole book getting hyped (and nervous) for a roller coaster, only for the actual experience to be... well, you’ll see. It’s a great companion to The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! if you're dealing with big transitions.
Released as we head into 2025, this is Mo’s "gift book" style entry. It’s a bit more meta, framed as "advice" from the Pigeon. It’s great for older kids who grew up on the Pigeon and want a funny, slightly more sophisticated take on the character.
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If you want a break from the slapstick and want something that might actually make you tear up, the Knuffle Bunny trilogy is the gold standard.
This book uses a cool mixed-media style—hand-drawn characters over black-and-white photos of Brooklyn. It captures that specific parental panic of realizing you’ve lost the "lovey" (the stuffed animal). It’s relatable, it’s tense, and the ending is a legitimate "core memory" moment for the characters.
The sequel handles the "everyone has the same toy from Target" problem. It’s a great lesson in social dynamics for Pre-K and Kindergarteners.
Warning: Do not read this if you aren't prepared to cry. It follows Trixie as she grows up and eventually leaves the bunny behind. It’s the perfect "graduation" book for when your kid is actually outgrowing picture books.
A lot of parents get stuck in a rut where their kid is too old for 32-page picture books but doesn't have the attention span for Harry Potter yet. Enter the Unlimited Squirrels series.
These are "early readers" but they’re chunky. They have multiple stories, "acorn" facts (non-fiction snippets), and terrible jokes.
This is the best place to start. It’s frantic, it’s funny, and it helps kids navigate the weirdness of losing teeth. It feels like a "big kid book" because of the page count, but the reading level is very accessible.
Check out our guide on the best bridge books for new readers
Mo Willems is a master of the "read aloud" because he understands rhythm.
This book is a masterclass in internal rhyme. Almost every page rhymes with "Nanette" and "Baguette." It’s a blast to read out loud, and it teaches kids about the consequences of giving in to temptation (in this case, eating the warm end of a baguette on the way home).
This is one of his most beautiful recent releases. It’s less "zany" and more philosophical. It’s about how your life is a story that you are writing as you go. It’s a great bedtime book for kids who are starting to ask the "big questions."
You might be wondering why a digital wellness platform is talking about physical picture books. Here’s the "Screenwise" take: Analog literacy is the foundation for digital literacy.
When a kid reads a Mo Willems book, they are learning to "read" subtext, body language, and the "fourth wall" (the Pigeon looks directly at the reader). These are the same skills they need to navigate Roblox or YouTube Kids later. Understanding when a character is being manipulative or when a story is trying to sell them an emotion is a vital skill.
Plus, let’s be real: A Mo Willems book is the ultimate "brain rot" antidote. It’s high-quality, high-engagement, and zero-blue-light. If you can get your kid hooked on the Pigeon’s drama, they might not beg for Skibidi Toilet for at least another twenty minutes.
- Ages 2-4: Stick with Cat the Cat or the board book versions of The Pigeon.
- Ages 4-6: This is the sweet spot for Elephant & Piggie and Knuffle Bunny.
- Ages 6-8: Move into Unlimited Squirrels and the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series, which features other authors curated by Mo.
Mo Willems books often feature "naughty" behavior. The Pigeon has tantrums. Nanette eats the bread she wasn't supposed to eat. Trixie goes "boneless" in the middle of a store.
Some parents worry this "teaches" bad behavior. It doesn't. It validates the fact that kids have these big, messy feelings. Reading about a Pigeon having a meltdown is a safe way for a kid to observe a meltdown without being in the middle of one themselves. It’s a "teachable moment" that doesn't feel like a lecture.
If you’re looking to expand your library in 2026, don't just buy more Elephant & Piggie clones.
- Get the Pigeon for the laughs.
- Get Knuffle Bunny for the heart.
- Get Unlimited Squirrels for the transition to "big kid" reading.
Learn more about how to build a balanced media diet for your early reader