Picture book 14

Title: David Goes to School
Illustrator:David Shannon
Genre: Picture book
Sub Genre:Realistic Fiction
Theme: Some students get in trouble more often than others. Every student is capable or doing good and deserving of praise.
Primary and Secondary Characters:David and the teacher might be considered a secondary character; however, the teacher does not have a name.
Award(s) date of publication:1999
Publishing Company: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Brief Summary:David is always getting in trouble. The teacher has to constantly remind him that his actions are less than acceptable. One day, David crosses the line and is asked to stay after school to clean the desks as his punishment. David works really hard to clean all of the desks and is then given a star for his accomplishment. As David leaves to go home, he has a huge smile on his face.
Used in the Classroom:I think most students are good at heart, they just need guidance. In David's case, he needs to put all of his energy to good use. I think any weakness can be made into a strength with enough effort and patience. I think that this would be a good book for students to read. If they get in trouble a lot, they will be able to relate to David and not feel as bad, possibly. In addition, I think that teachers should read this book as a reminder that students' behaviors need redirecting. All students are capable of doing extremely well, but it's important to know how to help them acquire those skills. For example, if a student is really talkative, instead of repeating no, no, no, it might be more helpful for the student to make him or her the news reporter. In addition, I think it would just be a fun book to read to the class. I love the illustrations too.