No, David! (by David Shannon)

David Shannon won a Caldecott Honor for this book, and the reasons are obvious. The images are utterly endearing. The colors are deep, the images are graphic, the action is direct and oh-so-real. In David's outrageous behavior, Shannon has caught that thin yet real line between a mischief-maker and a brat.

During a library read-aloud, a group of 4-year-olds readily took to the parental role, giving David a good tongue-lashing. For every crayon applied to the wallpaper, for every toy left carelessly on the floor they cried with glee, "No, David!" and then dissolved in giggles. David's antics are relentless, but he is also extremely lovable. He is truly sorry when he breaks his mother's vase, and he finds his ultimate happiness safely wrapped in her loving arms.