Whoa, Elizabeth at Half-Changed World reviews three books at once. Here are excerpts:
The Good
Title: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
Author/Illustrator: Mo Willems
My son and I usually read it together, with his job being to say "NO!" each time. At age 4, you get to hear "no" a lot, so he loves being the one to say no.
The Bad
Title: My Big Train Book
Author/Illustrator: Roger Priddy
Verdict in two words: "train porn."
The Dear Lord, Don't Make Me Read This Again
Title: The Berenstain Bears' Bedtime Battle
Author/Illustrator: Stan and Jan Berenstain
...the parents give in to the kids' whining and foot-dragging. I'd be happier if Papa only said "Ok, because you asked nicely" instead "If I must" before carrying the little bears up the stairs.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is a huge hit at our house - our 1 year old squeals with glee when Mommy reads and Daddy yells "No Way Pigeon!" or "Forget it, bird!" Yeah, it's all fun and games now, but I am sure this is going to rear its ugly little head in about 1 1/2 years (I can just see my son yelling, "Forget it, mom!" at me in the check out line). Ah well, it is a Fab book, nonetheless.
Mo Willems also has some board books out, featuring The Pigeon (they're known as "a smidgen of pigeon"), that are funny too (and less likely to get your kid yelling, "NO!" all the time). We have The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too, and it's pretty funny.
The Berenstain Bears review reminded me of The Onion Article: Precocious 6-Year-Old Claims Berenstain Bears Book Changed Her Life.
(The Onion isn't allowing access to their archives anymore, but seesanderrun has a synopsis for some reason).