by Angela Reynolds <\/p>\n
A few weeks ago, my boss asked if I would walk along with the Bookmobile in the local parade, and hand out some bookmarks about upcoming programs. Having walked in parades before, I knew firsthand that a plain-old librarian walking along, unless she has some pretty good swag to throw, is not very exciting.\u00a0 (Note to parade newbies\u2013Mardi Gras beads are a huge hit in parades everywhere, not just in New Orleans.) Handing out bookmarks is fun, but when you are dressed up, it is even more fun. The Bookmobile driver & I were chatting at lunch about our upcoming Mo Willems day, and suddenly, the idea hit us\u2013we needed a Pigeon to walk in front of the bus, which is what we all call our Bookmobile (it being a converted school bus). \u00a0After a quick web search to see the costumes that others had made, an idea was hatched. Several hours of creative design, a can of paint, and 5 pieces of poster board later, I had a Pigeon costume.\u00a0 One might not think that someone with a Master\u2019s degree would end up walking in a parade in a paint-covered hoodie with a cardboard bird body attached, but this, my friends, is the true calling of many a librarian. To hear a crowd of young parade watchers yell out \u201cDon\u2019t let the pigeon drive the bus!\u201d\u009d\u00a0 is a joy indeed. Even adults, who probably have never read a Mo Willems book enjoyed the costume. Several wanted to help the pigeon get permission to drive.\u00a0 Hopefully, those bookmarks will make as much an impression as the pigeon did. And no, I never did get to drive the bus. Darn it!<\/font><\/p>\n