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.