No, David

The first line of No, David by David Shannon states, "David's mom always said, 'No, David!'" As a mother of a toddler named David, truer words were never written.

In the foreword to this book, David Shannon shares that he was inspired by a book he wrote when he was little.  It showed him doing various naughty things and the only words in the book were "no" and "David." They were the only words he knew how to write.

My son loves this book.  He enjoys that it has his name, of course.  He also likes that David is breaking rules, like sneaking cookies or banging loudly on a pan.  

There's a lot to like about No, David.  The illustrations look like a child drew them, which I think is a lot of fun.  I appreciate David's mischievous face, down to the pointy teeth! 

The simple writing is easy for young children to memorize and repeat.  It also presents the opportunity to use the illustrations to expand on what is said.  For example, on the first page, readers can identify why David's mother is saying no and what he should do instead.  They can talk about why David's mother does not want him drawing on the walls and what he will have to do to fix his mistake. Together, parents and children can brainstorm alternatives, like drawing on paper or a box that will be recycled.

While I like the layout of the book, I think the message is what's best.  David does so many "bad" things that, as a parent, I start to feel exasperated as I read.  David becomes angry at one point.  Later, he is punished and starts to cry.  Rather than leaving him in the corner or continuing to chastise him, David's mother envelops him in a hug and says she loves him.  It is a wonderfully simple and compassionate moment.

Based on the Diaper David series and other books about this character, it is clear that the author got the message that his mother loves him.  She frequently is present at the end of the books, reading to him, hugging him, or just showing him how she feels.  I think this book is a good opportunity to help children see that a parent can be upset with their actions while still caring about them. It shows that we all make mistakes, but that does not automatically make us a bad person. In an era where many people are so paralyzed by the fear of being wrong or making a mistake that they avoid challenges (parents and children alike), it's an increasingly important message.

Froggy Plays Soccer

Froggy Plays Soccer is part of a series written by Jonathan London and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz.  It was published in 1999.  The series follows Froggy, who often gets overexcited and has to face the consequences of his actions.  He usually learns a lesson and, fortunately, things work out in the end.

This particular book, Froggy Plays Soccer, follows his experience playing in a championship soccer game.  Froggy's father, the assistance coach, reminds him several times that he can't use his hands. Uh oh! Guess what happens... 😆

My oldest son loved this book.  He enjoys every installment we pick up from the library.  This was particularly fun, however, because it dealt with soccer and he and his dad love to play together.

I enjoy that the series has repeated elements: the way Froggy's name is said, the way he responds to being called, the process of him getting dressed, his excitement, and him becoming embarrassed.  The repeated phrases are fun for my two year old.  He can anticipate what's coming and can "read" those elements himself. Also, I appreciate that the adults in the book are understanding that Froggy makes mistakes.  They support him and give him second chances.  That's true of all of the Froggy books we read so far.

Froggy is usually addressed in this drawn out way, which is fun to read and imitate.  He always responds with a long, "What?" It's the way most children would respond when they're busy doing something!

To make this book explicitly educational, an adult could emphasize the rules for playing soccer that are explained in the book, along with the positions (like a goalie).  Also, adults can highlight the emotions shown through the text and illustrations.  For example, with older toddlers, we can explain to a child what it means to be "more red in the face than green."  When Froggy makes a mistake, we can pause and ask children what he should have done instead and what he can do to try to make things better.  Then, we can see what actually happens in the story and compare it to what the children suggested.

While my son liked this book a lot, I can see that it was meant for older children.  The paper pages can be easily ripped.  This is definitely a book we must read with him or we'll hear the riiiiip that means we need to talk to the librarian!

I recommend this book, along with Froggy's Day with Dad and Froggy Goes to the Library.  We plan on reading more in the series and hope they are as enjoyable!

Welcome!

Welcome to Literature for Little Ones!

This blog provides reviews of children's books.  Reviews include my opinion of the story, illustrations, and physical presentation of the book.  These are books our family owns, as well as books from the local library.  Included in reviews will be my opinion of their educational value, but please note that I am not an early childhood educator. I will also share the reactions of my sons because a book has no value if your child doesn't want you to read it.  For reference, one of my sons is two years old and one is a newborn.

I am open to suggestions of books you would like reviewed! I hope you enjoy my blog!