The Pigeon Needs a Bath!
by Mo Willems · · 2014
In this humorous picture book, a stubbornly dirty pigeon insists he does not need a bath despite visible grime and a noticeable odor. Through a series of silly excuses and protests, he attempts to delay the inevitable until he finally steps into the tub and realizes how enjoyable water can be. The lighthearted story offers a playful look at toddler reluctance around daily hygiene routines.
- Age range
- Ages 3–6
- Category
- Picture Book Favorites
- ISBN
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Parent notes
Mo Willems uses his signature interactive, comical style to address a very common childhood issue: resistance to bath time. While the Pigeon spends much of the story making dramatic excuses and talking back to the narrator, his ultimate discovery that bathing is fun provides a helpful conversation starter about obedience, personal care, and foolish pride. Parents can use the bird's dramatic delay tactics to discuss how resisting simple, good instructions often wastes energy on something that ends up being enjoyable anyway.
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Discussion questions
- 1When it is time for your own bath or bedtime routine this week, what is one concrete action you can take to obey right away instead of making excuses like the Pigeon?
- 2Think about how the flies reacted to the Pigeon's smell compared to how the off-screen narrator treated him—was the narrator patient and forgiving with the stubborn bird?
- 3Did the Pigeon make a wise decision when he spent so much time arguing about being clean, or should he have trusted the adult authority right away?
- 4Why do you think the creator of this book showed the Pigeon loving the bath after he spent so many pages fighting against it?
- 5In what ways did the outside voice guide the Pigeon firmly yet patiently, and how does that reflect the way parents care for children in a family?
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