Getting In The Game! Grow Up, David! by David Shannon

"DAVID!!"

When their bathroom is littered with toothbrushes and oozing toothpaste tubes, an unreeling roll of toilet paper, and a toy airplane in the potty, there's no doubt which brother is the perpetrator.

David crawls under the table and ties his big brother's shoelaces together. He eats all the cute mini chocolate bars from his  brother's trick-or-treat pumpkin.

There's a recurring theme in his big brother's refrain:

"NO, DAVID!"

And there's good reason for that. David is a double-dyed pesky little brother. He wakes his brother up early on a Saturday morning when he trying to catch some extra Zs. He grabs the football and runs through the big boy's game like a little buzz saw on the loose. He won't stay out of his older brother's forbidden tree house hangout and spirits away his brother's photo of a special girl in his class. He provokes his brother into righteous retribution, when he trips David on purpose and with a wicked big-brother snicker wishes David a "good trip!" But David always claims his brother "started it!"

What can a big brother say, but...

"GROW UP, DAVID!"

And in his latest title, author-illustrator David Shannon's Grow Up, David! (David Books) (Blue Sky Press, 2018), author Shannon gives a hint as to the reason for all these pesty shenanigans: David is desperate for some attention. And David is overjoyed when he is allowed in the big boys' game and actually manages to makes quite a move.

"GOOD CATCH, DAVID!"

Shannon's narrative is simple but telling, while his signature illustrations portray the comic interplay between the siblings. While it's easy to see why David's big brother hopes he'll outgrow his pesky little-brother behavior, David's legions of fans will say, "No, David! Don't ever grow up!" David Shannon's ebullient younger brother is always good for a laugh-filled tale, and his many comic escapades have engendered a generation of giggles from youngsters who have taken glee in his misdeeds. But there's a certain sweetness in David's little-boy mischief that is always lovable, in its own way, showing young readers the way, the why, and the wherefore, of good behavior.

Other books in this series are the Shannon's first book, No, David! which won a Caldecott Honor Award for his inimitable illustrations, and sequels David Goes To School, David Gets In Trouble, Oh, David! A Diaper David Book, Oops! (A Diaper David Book) and and It's Christmas, David! (See reviews here.)