Creating Success Through Literacy, A Day with Mo Willems

Exploring literacy for young children through the eyes of Mo Willems, children’s author, artist, and Emmy award winner.

Friday, September 16, 2011, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Registration is now full! Thank you for your interest in bringing your children to our event.

Schedule for Early Childhood Professionals
8:30 a.m. Check-in & Light Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Introduction
10:15-11:15 a.m. Children’s Interactive Story Hour with Mo Willems
(Children from local daycare centers are invited to participate)
11:15 a.m.-Noon Mo Willems Book Signing
Noon-1 p.m. Lunch
1-2 p.m. Concluding Presentation, Q & A for Educators
2:30-3:30 p.m. Literacy Presentation with Danielle Buck, Coordinator of Duquesne University’s Maureen P. Sullivan Curriculum Center

Registration is FREE for professionals and children.

  • Act 48 credit and PA Keys hours available
  • FREE parking in Forbes garage, 1000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15219 on DU Campus
  • Admittance by registration only. Registration is limited to 100 early childhood professionals.

All attendees will receive a book written by Mo Willems!

About Mo Willems

#1 New York Times Bestseller Mo Willems began his career as a writer and animator for PBS’ Sesame Street, where he garnered 6 Emmy Awards for his writing. During his nine seasons at Sesame Street, Mo also served as a weekly commentator for BBC Radio and created two animated series, Nickelodeon’s The Off-Beats and Cartoon Network’s Sheep in the Big City.

While serving as head writer for Cartoon Network’s #1 rated show, Codename: Kids Next Door, Mo began writing and drawing books for children. His debut effort, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! became a New York Times Bestseller and was awarded a Caldecott Honor in 2004. The following year Knuffle Bunny: a Cautionary Tale was awarded a Caldecott Honor. The sequel, Knuffle Bunny Too: a Case of Mistaken Identity garnered Mo his third Caldecott Honor in 2008.

In addition to picture books, Mo created the Elephant and Piggie books, a series of “Easy Readers”, which were awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal in 2008 and 2009 and a Geisel Honor in 2011. For older audiences he has published an illustrated memoir of his year-long trip around the world in 1990-91 entitled You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons.

Mo’s drawings, wire sculptures, and ceramics (done in collaboration with his father) have exhibited in numerous galleries and museums across the nation and his graphic story about his family experiences during 9-11 for DC comics resides in the Library of Congress’ permanent collection.

Mo has been heard on NPR’s All Things Considered where he occasionally serves as the broadcast’s ‘Radio Cartoonist’. While no longer working in television, Mo voices and produces animated cartoons based on his books with Weston Woods studios. The animated Knuffle Bunny was awarded Best Film during the New York International Children’s Film Festival in 2008 and received the Andrew Carnegie Medal in 2007. The animated Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! garnered Mo his second Carnegie Medal in 2010.

Mo wrote the script and lyrics for Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, commissioned by the Kennedy Center for its 2010 season. The production is currently touring the nation.

Visit www.gomo.net for more information about Mo Willems.