The other morning we headed over to one of my all time favorite shops in the city, the MOMA Store, for a reading and book signing by the one and only Mo Willems. If you're not familiar with his work, you should check out his Pigeon Presents series- they are so much fun for kids to read! Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus was one of Biet's first favorite books, and really one of the most innovative children's stories I've read. And if you're raising a little one in NYC, Knuffle Bunny, one of his less popular but absolutely amazing earlier works, is a must too.
The downstairs level of the store, with its beautiful rows of literature, Eames display furniture, limited edition prints, and hanging modern art pieces, was spilling over with eager children of all ages, running and yelling and clutching their hard-cover books waiting to meet Mo. Never have I seen such a collision of culture, art, mayhem, and diapers. Biet ran the aisles, tried to eat the receipt from the newest addition to her home library, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late, and made a few friends. Mo was super sweet. He drew a little Pigeon inside the front page of her book and posed with us for a picture. I'm not sure that Biet really grasped the concept of it all, but she certainly had fun (the kids' section, which she loved, is uhhhmazing- I know where I'm shopping for new toys when Biet's second birthday rolls around!). After we left and stepped back out into the chilly morning, we decided to do the only thing that seemed appropriate after such a momentous occasion: went to the park and let Biet chase the pigeons.