Willems, Mo (1968-…), is an American filmmaker and an author and illustrator of picture books for children. Willems began his career as an animator for the popular “Sesame Street” children’s television show. He later turned to creating picture books that have been praised for their humor and their witty illustrations.
Willems’s first picture book was Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (2003). It became the first of many books in the “Pigeon” series, including The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! (2019). Willems also created the “Elephant and Piggie” series about Gerald the elephant and Piggie the pig. The stories are presented in a comic-book style. The series began with Today I Will Fly! (2007). Willems also created and coedited the “Elephant and Piggie Like Reading” spinoff series, which began with the book We Are Growing! (2016), written by Willems. The series includes books by a number of authors and illustrators. Willems’s “Knuffle Bunny” series about a stuffed animal began with Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale (2004). The “Cat the Cat” series started with Cat the Cat: Who Is That? (2010). The “Unlimited Squirrels” series began with Who Is the Mystery Reader? (2019).
Willems’s stand-alone picture books include Time to Pee! (2003); Time to Say “Please” and Leonardo, the Terrible Monster (both 2005); Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct (2006); and Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator! (2011). Willems also wrote That Is Not a Good Idea! (2013); The Story of Diva and Flea (2015); The Thank You Book and Nanette’s Baguette (both 2016); Because (2019); and Doodling 101: A Silly Symposium and Opposites Abstract (both 2021).
Willems was born on Feb. 11, 1968, and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He earned a B.F.A. degree from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. From 1993 to 2002, Willems worked at “Sesame Street,” first as a researcher and scriptwriter and then as an animator. His animations for the program won him six Emmy Awards. The Emmys are presented annually for achievement in television and other media. Willems also created animations for the series “The Off-Beats” for several years on the Nickelodeon children’s cable TV channel. In addition, he created animations for the Cartoon Network on cable TV.
