Mo Willems Is Writing a Book for Grown-Ups, and I Cannot Wait

'Words and Pictures' by Mo Willems features a dark blue background. The title 'WORDS AND PICTURES' is prominently displayed in large, yellow, sans-serif font at the top. Below the title, in smaller white text, are the taglines 'WRITING ABOUT STORIES' and 'STORIES ABOUT WRITING'. The bottom right of the cover shows a cartoon illustration of a dark grey, rectangular foot with a black heel, seemingly slipping on a bright yellow banana peel. The artist's signature 'Mo!' is written in black script next to the foot. The author's name 'BY MO WILLEMS' is in white text at the bottom, with a small yellow line underneath indicating his #1 New York Times bestselling status.

Okay, I have to admit it: Mo Willems is one of my favorite authors, and I cannot wait for this book. I’m already planning to preorder it. The guy who gave us The Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie and Knuffle Bunny is turning his attention to grown-ups, and I want to see what happens when Mo Willems starts talking about how Mo Willems works.

Words and Pictures by Mo Willems: Writing About Stories, Stories About Writing is a collection of more than 25 essays on storytelling, writing, and creativity, mixed with artwork, photographs, doodles, and material from Willems’ personal archives. He also takes one of his picture books apart cover to cover, giving readers a look at the choices behind the words, pictures and storytelling.

'Words and Pictures' by Mo Willems features a dark blue background. The title 'WORDS AND PICTURES' is prominently displayed in large, yellow, sans-serif font at the top. Below the title, in smaller white text, are the taglines 'WRITING ABOUT STORIES' and 'STORIES ABOUT WRITING'. The bottom right of the cover shows a cartoon illustration of a dark grey, rectangular foot with a black heel, seemingly slipping on a bright yellow banana peel. The artist's signature 'Mo!' is written in black script next to the foot. The author's name 'BY MO WILLEMS' is in white text at the bottom, with a small yellow line underneath indicating his #1 New York Times bestselling status.

What makes the book even more interesting is the career behind it. Willems went from writing for Sesame Street, where he won six Emmys, to creating Sheep in the Big City, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Elephant & Piggie, Knuffle Bunny and much more. This isn’t a crash course in creativity. This is a guy who has spent decades figuring out how stories work.

Willems describes the book as a “multi-year experiment,” and that sounds about right. He wants to share his creative process, artistic influences and personal history while encouraging readers to make things themselves. There are also plenty of answers to the question he gets asked all the time: “Where do you get your ideas?”

'Words and Pictures' by Mo Willems features a dark blue background. The title 'WORDS AND PICTURES' is prominently displayed in large, yellow, sans-serif font at the top. Below the title, in smaller white text, are the taglines 'WRITING ABOUT STORIES' and 'STORIES ABOUT WRITING'. The bottom right of the cover shows a cartoon illustration of a dark grey, rectangular foot with a black heel, seemingly slipping on a bright yellow banana peel. The artist's signature 'Mo!' is written in black script next to the foot. The author's name 'BY MO WILLEMS' is in white text at the bottom, with a small yellow line underneath indicating his #1 New York Times bestselling status.

I’m particularly curious about the cover-to-cover breakdown. Willems has always made his work look deceptively simple, but simple doesn’t mean easy. Seeing him take one of his books apart page by page should be fascinating, especially when you get to see the thinking behind the drawings, layouts and storytelling.

And that’s what really appeals to me. This isn’t just a book about how Mo Willems makes books. It’s about getting people to pick up a pencil, write something, draw something and remember that creating things is supposed to be fun.

'Words and Pictures' by Mo Willems features a dark blue background. The title 'WORDS AND PICTURES' is prominently displayed in large, yellow, sans-serif font at the top. Below the title, in smaller white text, are the taglines 'WRITING ABOUT STORIES' and 'STORIES ABOUT WRITING'. The bottom right of the cover shows a cartoon illustration of a dark grey, rectangular foot with a black heel, seemingly slipping on a bright yellow banana peel. The artist's signature 'Mo!' is written in black script next to the foot. The author's name 'BY MO WILLEMS' is in white text at the bottom, with a small yellow line underneath indicating his #1 New York Times bestselling status.

I really think Mo Willems is underappreciated for just how much thought goes into what he does. We see the simple drawings, the funny characters and the big laughs, but there is a lot more going on underneath. I have a feeling that once you pick up this book, you’ll start looking at his work in a whole different light.

So yes, I’m definitely preordering this one. I want the stories, the doodles, the creative experiments and a peek inside the brain that gave us a pigeon who really, really wants to drive a bus.

I have a feeling once you read Mo, you’re going to want Mo and Mo.

'Words and Pictures' by Mo Willems features a dark blue background. The title 'WORDS AND PICTURES' is prominently displayed in large, yellow, sans-serif font at the top. Below the title, in smaller white text, are the taglines 'WRITING ABOUT STORIES' and 'STORIES ABOUT WRITING'. The bottom right of the cover shows a cartoon illustration of a dark grey, rectangular foot with a black heel, seemingly slipping on a bright yellow banana peel. The artist's signature 'Mo!' is written in black script next to the foot. The author's name 'BY MO WILLEMS' is in white text at the bottom, with a small yellow line underneath indicating his #1 New York Times bestselling status.

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