PPBF: Mother’s Day Edition and Tribute to Maurice Sendak: David Gets in Trouble

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Today is Perfect Picture Book Friday where I link up with Susannah Leonard Hill’s fantastic group of picture book writers, illustrators, librarians and others who contribute a picture book review and related resources for parents, teachers and children.

Picture books have a special place in the hearts of many people…and there are a few authors whose names are instantly recognizable around the world.  Maurice Sendak was one of those…an author/illustrator extraodinaire…anyone reading his books (Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There and many others) would be instantly aware that this man remembered what it feels like to be a child.  For more information about this gifted groundbreaking artist and writer: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/books/maurice-sendak-childrens-author-dies-at-83.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

My book choice today has a flavor reminiscent of the work of Mr. Sendak…it celebrates mothers (yes, Mother’s Day is only a few days away)…and shows what they have to deal with on a daily basis…the good, the bad and the ugly.

David Gets in Trouble
Written and illustrated by David Shannon
Publisher: Little Brown and Company (2000)
Ages: 4-8
Themes: Family, unconditional love, misbehavior/consequences, boys
Opening lines: ”When David gets in trouble, he always says, “No! It’s not my fault!”

Synopsis:
From an Amazon reviewer: “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.
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.”

Why I like this book:
Caldecott honor award winner David Shannon knows how kids feel…and children love hearing about the adventures…or misadventures…of little David. This is a wonderful book for moms as well…it is heartening to know that our own kids aren’t the only ones who test a parent’s patience! The message at the end of the book is a perfect Mother’s Day gift for every mom…”I’m sorry. I love you, Mom.”
Related Activities:
David’s mother used soap to wash out his mouth when he used inappropriate language, but you can utilize a bar of soap with your children in a much more enjoyable way.

Soap Boat
Make this super boat and customize with your child’s name. They will be begging you to take a bath!
Age:
3 and up
What you need
• Foam Paper
• Soap
• White craft glue
• Popsicle stick
• Letter Stickers

What you do
1. Un-wrap a single bar of soap.
2. Cut two triangle shapes out of the foam paper (one slightly bigger than the other)
3. Glue the triangle pieces to craft stick ( one in front the other in back)
4. Decorate the sail; we used a small star out of the foam paper in coordinating color.
5. Insert Popsicle stick into soap.
6. Name your boat with letter stickers.
7. Set sail.
The above instructions and picture came from the website of The Crafty Noodle.
For more soap bar projects, visit Artists Helping Children: http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/barsofsoapcraftsideasdecorationskids.html
Video interview with David Shannon: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/shannon/

 

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill.

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38 thoughts on “PPBF: Mother’s Day Edition and Tribute to Maurice Sendak: David Gets in Trouble”

  3. Your craft activities are amazing. I think this one sounds like a great tribute to Sendak in the week of his death, as it is so authentic to childhood!

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    • Thank you, Joanna!  After I picked this story and wrote the post, I came across another book, illustrated by Mr. Sendak back in 1958…No Fighting, No Biting…written by Else Minarik.  This would have been a GREAT tribute to him…and to Mother’s Day as well.  Maybe next week. 🙂   

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    • Aw shucks!!!!  Seriously though, providing young kids with arts and crafts materials and doing projects with them has always been as much fun for me as it is for them. 🙂  And everything is so simple…and inexpensive…and educational…I could do it all day. 🙂   

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  9. Oh, how David reminds me of my youngest. The other day he told me pushing was ok, if it was an accident. Sometimes it’s nice to have a reminder that most children (and parents) go through this.

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  10. I laughed when I read the title of this one, because doesn’t David get in trouble in ALL of his books? 🙂

    Parents and kids alike love to see stories about kids who are not perfect. Helps us feel normal! Thanks for the recommendation, Vivian!

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  11. We love all of David Shannon’s books! He really gets what it is to be a little boy and I love his own story about drawing all the time as a kid. My kids love the part (I’m not sure it’s in this book but I think so) where he pees in the snow. They didn’t even get it the first time because we don’t have snow here, so it’s hard to imagine what it would be like. It was quite a funny moment at our house!

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  13. This craft looks cool! Happy mother’s day, Vivian! 🙂 I got your book already and I’m on to reading every page 😀 .. I’m highligting my favorites. loving it so far. I’m gonna write up an article as soon as I get the chance.

    Spanish Pinay

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    • Oh, Marilou…so happy you received the book. 🙂
      Please don’t stress about when you post the review…glad you are enjoying going through it.
      And Happy belated Mother’s Day to you, as well!!!!

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  15. ღ˚ •。* ♥ ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* 。 ღ˛° 。* °♥ ˚ • ★ *˚ .ღ 。*˛˚ღ •˚ ˚…Sending sprinkles of Love to You: Happy Mother’s Day! ˚ ✰* ★˚. ★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥

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