Now here's a New Orleans literary connection that might surprise you: Mo Willems' best-selling children's books, starting with "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!," were inspired by childhood memories of being a kid and going to Jackson Square and feeding the pigeons.

New Orleans native Mo Willems latest children's hit is 'The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!'

That famous and beloved -- and fictional -- pigeon is now 5 years old. On April 1, Willems celebrated the publication of his sixth book in the series, "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!," with a reading in New York City's Bryant Park. There, he announced the winner of a contest who guessed what the pigeon's next desire would be, met with a group of enthusiastic young readers, and "got to hang out with a bunch of puppies," as Willems said. (A puppy adoption event took place in conjunction with the reading.)

The comic creator of "Sheep in the Big City," Willems, 40, has had a brilliant career in animation and illustration. His joyful, childlike and persistent pigeon has persevered through "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" (a Caldecott honor book), "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!," "The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too," "The Pigeon Loves Things That Go," and "Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late."

The googly-eyed pigeon gets his dream of a puppy in the most recent book, and it turns out not to be quite what he planned.

"The pigeon has been very frustrated with me," Willems said by phone from his home in Brooklyn. "In every book he doesn't get what he wants, and then I make other books that have nothing to do with him. So I thought, 'Let him have what he wants. Let him see what it's like to get what he wants.'"

Willems is also the creator of "Knuffle Bunny Too: A Cautionary Tale," another Caldecott honor book, and has launched the Elephant and Piggie books, an early reader series that celebrates the travails and joys of the friendship between the title characters.

"They're the most fun books I've ever made in terms of the process of making them," Willems said. "The characters are fun to be with, fun to draw, and I get a kick out of the challenge. In each book there are no more than 50 average, distinct words. So to limit your language palette and still create something that's funny is a challenge."

On April 1,Mo Willems celebrated the publication of his sixth book in the series, "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!," with a reading in New York City's Bryant Park.

Willems' daughter, Trixie, is 6, so the Elephant and Piggie books were timed perfectly for her reading pleasure. "I guess I'll have to start writing chick lit next," Willems joked.

Reading, Willems said, should be a key to the joy of drawing and writing.

"I always say, I want my books to be played, not read," he said. "I really think that books should be the spark for creativity. We say how important reading is, but we never express what the next step is. So, the first time we read a story with a kid is great, and the second time your kid asks you to read a story, say OK, but the third time, say, 'No, we're going to draw a story, make up something new.'

"Every child should have the ability to take a character and make a story with it. It's just fun, and it increases empathy, which is a deeply important thing."

"The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!" is dedicated to Willems' dog, Nelson.

"He's getting up there," Willems said. "He used to be a cute little half Nelson and now he's a full Nelson. I didn't expect to enjoy having a dog, but a lot of my work is done while taking long walks, and Nelson and I have enjoyed some long, long strolls. Once he sprained his tail from over-wagging and swimming, so it seemed appropriate I should give him the dedication."

Book editor Susan Larson can be reached at slarson@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3457.