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DAVID GOES TO SCHOOL

Name: DAVID GOES TO SCHOOL
Author: David Shannon
ISBN: 0-590-48087-1

by David Shannon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1999

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The poster boy for relentless mischief-makers everywhere, first encountered in No, David! (1998), gives his weary mother a rest by going to school. Naturally, he’s tardy, and that’s but the first in a long string of offenses—“Sit down, David! Keep your hands to yourself! PAY ATTENTION!”—that culminates in an afterschool stint. Children will, of course, recognize every line of the text and every one of David’s moves, and although he doesn’t exhibit the larger- than-life quality that made him a tall-tale anti-hero in his first appearance, his round-headed, gap-toothed enthusiasm is still endearing. For all his disruptive behavior, he shows not a trace of malice, and it’ll be easy for readers to want to encourage his further exploits. (Picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-590-48087-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THAT'S NOT FUNNY, DAVID!
by David Shannon ; illustrated by David Shannon

- BOOK REVIEW
GOLD!
by David Shannon ; illustrated by David Shannon

- BOOK REVIEW
MR. NOGGINBODY AND THE CHILDISH CHILD
by David Shannon ; illustrated by David Shannon

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SOMETIMES

by Keith Baker & illustrated by Keith Baker ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1999

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Emerging readers follow the adventures of a busy crocodile in this Level 1 entry in a promising series (see McPhail, below). Baker uses short, direct sentences to describe the emotional and physical experiences of an amiable crocodile. Gently validating children’s feelings, the tale explores an array of mental states, from happy to sad, embarrassed to melancholy. A refrain, “I like who I am. I like what I do,” reaffirms the crocodile’s self-worth, and gives readers a ready chant; gaily colored illustrations adorn the pages, providing visual clues to the context of the sentences. The engaging pictures and familiar experiences are a gratifying combination. (Picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: March 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-15-202002-0

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
HAP-PEA HALLOWEEN
by Keith Baker ; illustrated by Keith Baker

- BOOK REVIEW
HAP-PEA EASTER
by Keith Baker ; illustrated by Keith Baker

- BOOK REVIEW
HAP-PEA VALENTINE'S DAY
by Keith Baker ; illustrated by Keith Baker

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HI, HARRY!

THE MOVING STORY OF HOW ONE SLOW TORTOISE SLOWLY MADE A FRIEND

by Martin Waddell & illustrated by Barbara Firth ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2003

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After Buster Rabbit, Stan Badger, and Sarah Mouse gallop by, Harry Tortoise sets off at his own deliberate pace to find “someone not quick who has time to play with a tortoise.” Sporting an eye-catching red cap, Harry plods through a series of minimally detailed woodland scenes, trailed by a coterie of quizzical beetles, and meets up at last with Sam Snail, a perfect mate for such slo-mo games as “Heads In and Heads Out,” or leisurely conversations about “tree stumps and puddles, and mushrooms and moss.” S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d beyond standard length to mimic Harry’s unhurried progress, this successor to the likes of Arlene Dubanevich’s Pig William (1985) or Eve Merriam’s Unhurry Harry (1978), with its muted colors and smiling, simply drawn figures, is bound to settle and soothe even the most rabbity young listeners. (Picture book. 5-7)