Playaway Products Partners with Hidden Pigeon Company to Bring Beloved Mo Willems Children’s Stories to Wonderbook

 SOLON, OH — January 15, 2026 — Playaway Products, the leader in pre-loaded learning and literacy products for libraries and classrooms, today announced a new partnership with Hidden Pigeon Company (HPC), the company co-founded by #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems, creator of beloved characters including The Pigeon and Elephant & Piggie. This collaboration brings Willems’ humor-filled, high-energy stories to Wonderbook’s award-winning read-along format, giving young readers a screen-free, confidence-building way to connect with books through joyful narration and character-driven storytelling.

Willems’ stories and well-loved characters are celebrated for their wit, heart, and unmistakable voice. They seamlessly support early literacy, social-emotional learning, and a love for reading that grows with every page. The captivating stories align with the mission of Playaway Products to create equitable access to high-quality literacy experiences in libraries and classrooms, without requiring screens, Wi-Fi, or digital setup.

Beginning January 15, libraries and schools across the U.S. can pre-order the first Mo Willems titles on Wonderbook at shop.playaway.com:

From The Pigeon series:

·       Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

·       Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!

·       The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!

·       The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!

·       The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

From the Elephant & Piggie series:

·       Today I Will Fly!

·       Watch Me Throw the Ball!

·       Can I Play Too?

·       Let’s Go for a Drive!

·       I Really Like Slop!

"Mo Willems’ stories create moments of discovery that stay with children long after they finish reading,” said Sabine McAlpine, Vice President, Sales and Content. “On Wonderbook, the combination of audio and page turning adds a layer of magic. Kids hear the story come to life, follow along with the book in their hands, and feel truly empowered as independent readers.”

“Our partnership with Playaway Products will bring The Pigeon and Elephant & Piggie to life in fresh and dynamic new ways for kids and ‘former kids’ to enjoy while building on the strong bond they already have with these popular characters,” said Tori Cook, SVP Franchise Management + Consumer Products, Hidden Pigeon Company. “We know young readers and their families will love these new Wonderbook offerings from the world of Mo Willems.”

With a catalog of more than 1,800 Wonderbook titles, and new ones added monthly, Playaway Products continues to build one of the most trusted and expansive read-along collections available today. The Mo Willems titles will further strengthen this growing catalog and ensure little learners everywhere have the chance to discover the joy, confidence, and independence that come from reading. For more information, visit playaway.com.

ABOUT HIDDEN PIGEON COMPANY

Hidden Pigeon Company (HPC) is an exciting multiplatform kids and family content company founded in  2023 by celebrated children’s book author Mo Willems along with Stampede Ventures and RedBird Capital Partners. It was formed with the goal of expanding the already-impressive reach and impact of Willems’ best-selling catalog of children’s books and intellectual property across all entertainment platforms – from television, film, and digital to live events, location-based experiences, licensing & merchandising, publishing, and more. Hidden Pigeon Company takes its name from Willems’ immensely popular character, The Pigeon, as kids and “former kids” (as Mo likes to say) – delight in finding The Pigeon hidden somewhere in all his books.