No, David!

This is book is wonderful! My students and I laughed and laughed while reading it! No David by David Shannon is one of a few books that is not just relatable to adults but young children as well (given their short time to experience the world). It tells the story of a young boy named David who finds it hard to make good choices. The words that constantly are told to him are … yes, you guessed it … “No David!”. However, in the end David is told that he is loved regardless of however many mistakes he makes. David Shannon illustrates the book with childlike drawings, with bright colors and youthful exuberance. No David is a fantastic book for pre-readers because of the simple text, and reputation. Three- and four-year children can picture read and read from memory while matching sight words like “no” on each page. The great thing about the book No David is that it also is a great conversation starter. Through the choices David makes in the book an adult can have safety talks with children as well as talk about proper choices and manners. A small public service announcement should be given about a particular point in the book. In one part of the book David runs out of the bathtub and a picture of David’s backside accompanies the words, “No David”. This in itself provides several teachable moments but I thought it important to make the reader aware and make a decision for themselves. Adults and children alike are sure to smile while reading No David, and recognize themselves in some of the situations.