David Goes To School (Hardcover)

~ (Illustrator) "David's teacher always said....." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

David, the out-of-control monster-child from David Shannon's Caldecott Honor Book No, David! is back... and ready to disrupt the class. Shannon remembers the word "no" all too clearly from his childhood, and, as he says in his introduction, "It seems that kids haven't changed much over the years, and neither have school rules, some of which date back even further than the invention of sneakers." In David Goes to School, young David shows up late to class, goes wacko at the blackboard, chews gum in class, yells answers out of turn, pulls pigtails, stares out the window, cuts in line, has a food fight ("I don't care who started it!" says the teacher), lingers at recess, and draws on his desk. Colorful, hilarious, childlike illustrations examine our strangely appealing demon-boy at eye level, which is especially disgusting as David stretches an enormous mass of bubble gum from his pointy-toothed maw. After an intense day of exuberant misbehaving, however, he stays after school and washes all the desks until they sparkle. The day ends with a gold star and a pat on the head... something that any child (or adult) would find satisfying. (Click to see a sample spread. Copyright 1999 by David Shannon. Courtesy of Scholastic, Inc.) (Ages 2 to 6) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

He's b-a-a-a-c-k! And better than ever. The rascal first unleashed in No, David! returns to wreak havoc in the classroom. Whether he's goofing off at the blackboard ("Sit down, David!"), cutting in line at the cafeteria ("Wait your turn, David!") or drawing on his desktop ("That's it, Mister! You're staying after school!"), David is clearly a handful. But when his teacher gives him a chance to redeem himself by cleaning the desks at the end of the day, he rises to the occasion ("Good job, David!") and receives a gold star. Shannon foreshadows trouble right from the title page: the teacher stands in front of her desk, feet firmly planted, arms crossed and looming so large that her shoulders, neck and head don't make it onto the page. As in the previous book, the adult voice provides the text, but her person is confined to the periphery of the action. David, meanwhile, with his round head, triangle nose and wide grin of pointy teeth, is the pinnacle of boisterous boy-energy. His antics take center stage visually while his teacher's words act as the perfect foil for each spread. After David cuts the cafeteria line, for example, the next illustration shows food splattered all over the walls, floor, David and the boy who was formerly at the front of the line; the two boys point at each other and the text reads, "I don't care who started it." The exaggerated shapes and slightly cartoonish poses of an array of students in all-too-familiar situations will have youngsters crowding together over the book at recess. Ages 3-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Blue Sky Press (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590480871
• ISBN-13: 978-0590480871
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,713 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If your child acts up in class, this may be useful..., September 9, 2001

By	scottmax "scottmax" (NC) - See all my reviews

I am surprised at the great number of rather poor reveiws for this delightful book. First of all, the book is geared towards first time school-goers who are just learning the ropes of good behavior in a school setting(and may be having a hard time of it!). Many children find it difficult to behave properly in school - not all children are perfect little angels in the behavior department. As a former teacher and currently a classroom volunteer, I have noticed many young students getting scolded for the many things depicted in this story - things such as not raising you hand before speaking, not paying attention to the teacher, etc. If your child is acting up in class, I think this book might be helpful in demonstrating what is and is not acceptable at school. At the conclusion of the story, David finally learns how to behave properly and is rewarded with praise. I think this is a positive lesson! If your child does not have any behavior issues, you may not relate to this book as much as the parent/teacher who is trying to reach a disobedient child. The pictures are bright and colorful and despite some of the previous reveiwers' comments, I don't think that children reading this book wuld assume that the bad behaviors depicted in this book are something to imitate. I think the message is clear: You will be scolded for bad behavior, praised for good.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shannon nails it, November 15, 1999

By A Customer

When I picked this one off the shelf at our book fair, I about fell over laughing. Simplistic? Absolutely. But dead-on. I have at least one new "David" in my Firt grade class each year, and this is the book I'll be dragging out every September as a kick-off to our discussion on what appropriate behavior entails. With one line of text per page, don't expect a reading workout for your child, unless they are at a very early stage in reading. But plot is not the purpose here. We're talking humor and reassurance. My six year olds can personally relate to David's flaws, and they can appreciate the message that comes at the end: we love you anyway.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where's David?, July 9, 2000

By A Customer

Have you ever told yourself, "There's got to be a better way!"? Perhaps you have met many Davids and Davitras during your professional educator experiences. Read David Goes to School and I'm sure that you will find a better way for students in your classroom to take ownership of your classroom and school rules. David is a happy and energetic student. He moves through a typical day of school activities seemingly without regards to how his behavior affects those around him. David's teacher guides him firmly through the day while keeping his positive self-esteem in tact.

Teacher Note: This story affords teachers the opportunity to build vocabulary, develop classroom rules and consequences, discuss the need for both class community/school community rules and practice conflict resolution skills. Let's remember as educators to dwell on the positive and not on the negative exhibitions of our students. Have a Great 2000-2001 School Year!