The Barnes & Noble Review
The feisty and adorable little star of No, David! and David Goes to School returns, but this time, the young rascal finds his voice, telling us all his favorite excuses for when he gets in trouble.
David always has a special line up his sleeve, as we watch the mischief maker in action. Whether it's "I couldn't help it!" after making faces during a class picture, "I was hungry!" following a tasting of Doggy Yums dog biscuits, or "But Dad says it!" after an apparent slip of the tongue (he gets a mouthful of soap bar), David tries deflecting his hijinks, like any kid expert in the art of shenanigans. But when sad and sorry feelings well up -- and David offers an apology -- Mom is there with a loving touch, and the reassured boy drifts happily off to sleep.
In this simple yet hilarious look at trying to diffuse punishment and forgiveness, David Shannon's funny hero simply takes the cake. You can't help but love him despite all of his goof-ups, especially with Shannon's distinctive loose-lined artwork, which is chaotic but heartwarming, just like David himself. A perfect discussion beginner for little troublemakers at home and a slam-dunk storytime read-aloud -- there's no excuse not to pick up this winner. Matt Warner
Excuses, excuses. Shannon's potatohead (No, David, 1998; David Goes to School, 1999), born to be trouble, is back. "No," ever a part of David's elder's vocabulary, is now part of David's. "No, it's not my fault," for instance. David has learned the fine art of excuse-making: I didn't mean to, it was an accident, I forgot, the dog ate it (as the dog peers through the classroom window, homework in his mouth, giving David's excuses a two-edged appeal). Shannon's double-paged spreads are active in mood, color, and sight gags as David unfurls one excuse after another: "I was hungry," as he chows a dog biscuit; "I couldn't help it," as he cracks a crazy face for the class photo; "But Dad says it," with a bar of soap sticking out of his mouth. As usual, the adults are seen only in pieces, David is clearly the focal point, beginning with the title page, Mom seen only from the chest down, hands on hips, one foot tapping. Then, in the trademark finish, David offers up an apology, "Yes! It was me!" ready to take the heat, "I'm sorry," his head taking up both pages, before he murmurs, "I love you, Mom." Disarming as he always is-what a blessing he lives on the page and not in our lives. (Picture book. 3-6)
