The Pigeon Needs a Bath Mo Willems – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Pigeon Needs a Bath Mo Willems

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2014

86%

WISE Score

4.9

Amazon

The Pigeon's excuses for avoiding bath time are basically a transcript of every 3-year-old ever—and kids love calling him out on it.

The Pigeon Needs a Bath Mo Willems

book

2014

86%

WISE Score

4.9

Amazon

The Pigeon's excuses for avoiding bath time are basically a transcript of every 3-year-old ever—and kids love calling him out on it.

4.9

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Screenwise Verdict

This is Mo Willems at his best: deceptively simple, emotionally intelligent, and genuinely useful for parents navigating the daily power struggles of early childhood.

The genius is that the Pigeon becomes a stand-in for your kid's own resistance, letting them see how silly (and normal) their excuses sound. It's not preachy—it's just funny enough that kids get the point without feeling lectured.

The interactive format keeps it fresh across multiple readings, and at 4.9 stars on Amazon with consistent praise from parents, it's clearly doing something right. It won't solve every bath-time meltdown, but it gives you a shared language and a bit of humor when things get sticky.

Not groundbreaking literature, but for the target age and purpose? It absolutely nails it.

Age Fit

Perfect for ages 2-6, especially the bath-resistant crowd. The humor and format work best when kids are in that stubborn negotiation phase. By 7 or 8, most kids have moved past bath battles, though the Pigeon's attitude remains entertaining.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Models age-appropriate resistance and eventual acceptance of hygiene routines. The Pigeon's stubbornness mirrors typical toddler/preschooler behavior, giving kids a safe way to see their own resistance reflected back. Parents report it helps kids process their own bath-time battles by letting them play the 'responsible one.' Tone is playful, never mean-spirited.

Imaginative

Mo Willems' signature minimalist art style and direct-address format (talking to the reader) creates an interactive reading experience. The Pigeon's excuses and negotiations are creative and funny. However, it's more about clever dialogue than world-building or deep imaginative play—it's imaginative within a narrow, everyday scenario.

Safe

Zero concerning content. It's a picture book about bath time with simple illustrations and mild attitude. The 'conflict' is a pigeon avoiding a bath. No violence, scary elements, or inappropriate themes. As safe as children's literature gets.

Enriching

Teaches negotiation, hygiene routines, and the concept that things we resist aren't always as bad as we think. The format encourages reader participation and critical thinking ('Should we make the Pigeon take a bath?'). It's emotionally intelligent—kids see their own behavior patterns externalized. Not deeply educational, but socially and emotionally valuable for the target age. Amazon rating of 4.9/5 suggests strong parent and kid satisfaction.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Lets kids role-play being the responsible one while the Pigeon acts out their own resistance—brilliant reverse psychology
Mo Willems' signature style: simple, expressive drawings with maximum personality and minimal fuss
The direct-address format ('What do YOU think?') makes kids active participants, not passive listeners
Actually helps defuse real bath-time battles by externalizing the conflict—parents on Reddit swear by it
Short, punchy, and genuinely funny for both kids and adults reading aloud for the 47th time

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What to Watch For

The Pigeon is intentionally stubborn and resistant—that's the point, but some kids might imitate the attitude rather than learn from it
If your kid is already a bath-lover, this might be less relevant (though still entertaining)
Part of a series, so be prepared for requests for every other Pigeon book

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the Pigeon doesn't want to take a bath? Have you ever felt that way about something?"
"What would you say to convince the Pigeon that bath time is actually fun?"
"The Pigeon says he took a bath last month—do you think that's often enough? Why or why not?"
"What's something you don't like doing at first, but then it turns out okay once you start?"

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