David Gets in Trouble (Hardcover)

by David Shannon (Illustrator) "When David gets in trouble, he always says . . . No! It's not my fault!..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
"No" and "David" were the first words David Shannon learned how to spell. Shannon's Caldecott Honor Book No, David! is based on a book he made as a child showing a kid doing all the things he isn't supposed to do. In the sequel David Goes to School, it turns out that teachers say no, too. And in this third picture book, it's David's turn to talk back. What does he say when he gets in trouble? "I didn't mean to." (Skateboarding into a lamp table.) "It was an accident!" (Hitting a baseball into a window.) "I forgot!" (Happily walking down the street... in his underpants.) "But Dad says it!" (Boy in corner with mouth full of soap.) Of course, the cat-tail-pulling, burping, grape-juice-dropping, runny-egg-hating, out-of-control David wins us over in the end. A defiant "No, it wasn't me!" evolves into a guilt-ridden, late-at-night shout, "Yes! It was me! I'm sorry. I love you, Mom." Awwww. Shannon's expressive, childlike paintings of the round-headed, shark-toothed David-in-trouble perfectly capture the manic joys of early boyhood. (Ages 3 and older) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly
That irrepressible fellow with the Charlie Brown head is back, trailing a whole new slew of disasters in his wake. In this follow-up to No, David! and David Goes to School, Shannon finally lets David get a word in edgewise as in "No! It's not my fault!" and "It was an accident!" In a series of hilarious snapshots of trouble-in-progress, David hurtles from one scrape to another. Anyone can sympathize with David's trials and tribulations, whether he is scowling at his breakfast ("Do I have to?"), pulling the cat's tail ("But she likes it!") or sitting sullenly on the bathroom floor, soap wedged firmly in mouth ("But Dad says it!"). The exuberant artwork crackles with energy and color (including backdrops in lime green and bittersweet orange), as Shannon carefully hews to a child's-eye view of the world (adults appear only as limbs and torsos). This memorable character is nothing short of a force of nature, from his scribbled eyes and hair to his shark-sharp teeth. In the end, it's a confession ("Yes! It was me!") that allows him a peaceful night's sleep, with a woman's tender hand and an "I love you, mom" hovering over his angelic (for now at least) round head. Readers will gladly call for "More, David!" Ages 3-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Blue Sky Press (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439050227
• ISBN-13: 978-0439050227
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,705 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as funny, November 1, 2002

By	"auntieem1970" (Frederick, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

The first 2 David books are hysterical & had my kids rolling on the floor. This one needed some explaining as to why what he was doing was wrong. I was a little disappointed with this one, but a huge fan of the others.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still a treat., October 22, 2002

By	sapna (Fort Collins, Co United States) - See all my reviews

This is definitely not as entertaining as the original "No, David!" or even "David goest to school" but if you are like my kids and me, a David fan, you will still get some enjoyment out of it. Overall, like the previous books, it still manages to express the magic of childhood: the right to make mistakes, expect forgiveness and mosty importantly, love.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excuses, Excuses....., October 3, 2002

By	Roz Levine (Virginia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Irrepressible David is back in all his little boy glory, and as he tells us on the title page, "NO! It's not my fault!" Whether he's skateboarding into furniture, making a silly face during class pictures, pulling the cat's tail, or eating the dog's biscuits, burping loudly at meals, sneaking a taste of icing off the cake before dinner, or saying bad words, he's got a logical answer for everything. "I didn't mean to!" "I forgot!" "I couldn't help it!" "No, it wasn't me!" "It was an accident!" "But Dad says it!" Nothing is really his fault, he's just a victim of circumstance. Or is he... Late at night, lying in bed, David has an epiphany, "Yes! It was me!" and apologizes to his mother as she tucks him, lovingly, back in bed..... David Shannon captures the essence of a busy, take charge preschooler, filled with manic energy, in this sequel to No, David! and David Goes To School. Little ones will easily identify with the trials and tribulations of David's world as he rockets through his day from one mishap to the next. Mr Shannon's exaggerated, bold and bright, childlike illustrations steal the show with marvelous facial expression and hilarious details. David Gets In Trouble begs to be read aloud at story time, and is sure to be an often asked for preschool crowd pleaser.