BY SYBIL MAIMIN
Young, enthusiastic fans of children's author Mo Willems are currently flocking to the New York Historical Society where they are rewarded with a delightful, kid-friendly exhibit, "The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems." Giggles, shrieks of delight, and familiarity greeted the author and illustrator during the exhibit's opening week-end when, before a packed auditorium, he read from two of his books, "I Really Like Slop" and "Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale." Tall, slim, and dressed in "happy" attire including electric orange sneakers, the author, who has received the Caldecott Honor award three times, shared wisdom about his works with his audience: "Everything is true except the parts I made up," and "When a teacher says, It's writing time, it's lying time. Start with the truth and say, This is a story." On stage, as in his work, Willems seems to understand his young admirers and connects with them viscerally.
Willems studied animation at NYU Tisch School of the Arts in the 1980's and went on to nine very successful seasons with Sesame Street where he won 6 Emmys. Seeking greater artistic freedom, he began writing children's picture books, starting with "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" in 2003. He is known for economy of line, visual gags, and illustrations that focus on feelings. "All my characters are thoroughly neurotic and have very deep emotional lives," he explains. Willems has written four children's picture book series. The "Knuffle Bunny" trilogy is about the relationship between Brooklynite Trixie (his daughter's name) and her beloved stuffed animal, a letting-go tale. The "Pigeon" series features a strong-willed unpredictable urban bird. Since his creation, Pigeon has made cameo appearances in all Willem's books. The author explains, "Pigeon hates it when I make a book that is not about him, so he sneaks in." The "Elephant and Piggie" series is about unlikely friends and is especially suited to readers aged 4 to 8. The "Cat the Cat" series, geared to younger readers (ages 2 to 5) features bright colors and simple, engaging themes. Writing early books is especially challenging, Willems notes. A story must be conveyed with about 50 words. "You just don't knock out children's books," he says. "It has to be something that can be read a billion times. It has to be a kid's friend."
The exhibit includes framed illustrations from his works, ten stations designed to resemble bus stops where, through headphones, visitors can hear Willems explain his artistic process and the development of his characters, and comfortable reading areas filled with his books. The New York Historical Society is offering a broad array of family programming to enhance visits to the exhibit including story times, gallery sketching with art materials similar to those used by Willems, movies, birthday parties, and tattoos. Opening weekend offered photo opportunities with Gerald the Elephant and Piggie costumed characters and a book signing with the author. It was an exciting time for all. The exhibit runs through September 25.
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