Mo Willems

Mo Willems is an author, illustrator, animator, playwright, and the inaugural Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence, where he collaborates in creating fun new stuff involving classical music, opera, comedy concerts, dance, painting, and digital works with the National Symphony Orchestra, Ben Folds, Yo-Yo Ma, and others.

Willems is best known for his #1 New York Times bestselling picture books, which have been awarded three Caldecott Honors ("Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!," "Knuffle Bunny," "Knuffle Bunny Too"), two Theodor Geisel Medals, and five Geisel Honors (The "Elephant & Piggie" series).

Willems' art has been exhibited around the world, including major solo retrospectives at the High Museum (Atlanta) and the New-York Historical Society (NYC). Over the last decade, Willems has become the most produced playwright of Theater for Young Audiences in America, having written or co-written four musicals based on his books.

He began his career as a writer and animator on PBS’ Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards (writing). Other television work includes two series on Cartoon Network: "Sheep in the Big City" (creator + head writer) and "Codename: Kids Next Door" (head writer). Willems is creating new TV projects for HBOMax, where his live action comedy special "Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime!" currently streams.

His papers reside at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.