The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!

Author/Illustrator: Willems, Mo
Publisher and Date: Hyperion Books for Children 2004
Genre: Picture Book
Age Range: K-1

Summary: In this book a pigeon finds a hot dog and is approached by a little duckling. The duckling keeps questioning the pigeon about the hot dog while the duckling takes notes. The pigeon gets annoyed and doesn't want to share the hot dog because he is the one that found it. In the end they split the hot dog and sit down to eat it together.

Response: I really liked the unique drawings of both birds in this book. Their eye takes up the majority of their head and the expression is shown by how much of the eyelid covers the eye.
The relationship between the two birds reminds me of that between an older and younger sibling. I am the younger sibling and have always been very inquisitive. My sister, on the other hand, did not always enjoy answering all of my questions all of the time. And though we are nine years apart, she still did not always want to share her things with me.

Teaching Ideas: This book would be good for a lesson on compromise and sharing with others. The duckling obviously wanted a taste of the hot dog and the pigeon obviously did not want to share its delicious hot dog with anyone else, especially the duckling. In the end they split the hot dog in half and each were able to eat some. This can teach children that even though they may not want to always share something with someone else, it is the polite and right thing to do.