David Shannon

David Shannon (born October 5, 1959) is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. Shannon grew up in Spokane, Washington. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design and now lives in Los Angeles. In 1998 he won the Caldecott Honor for his No, David!. He has also written A Bad Case of Stripes, How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball, and The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza. Shannon illustrated Audrey Wood's The Bunyans, Rafe Martin's The Rough Face Girl, various books by Jane Yolen, including The Ballad of the Pirate Queens and Encounter, as well as Melinda Long's How I Became a Pirate[1] and Pirates Don't Change Diapers.

For the South Australian politician, see David Shannon (politician). For the Canadian activist and lawyer, see David Shannon (lawyer). For the Australian bomber pilot, see Dave Shannon.
David Shannon
Shannon in 2011, posing at an event in New York.
Born (1959-10-05) October 5, 1959
Washington, D.C., U.S.
OccupationIllustrator, writer
Period1989–present
GenreChildren's picture books

Early life

David Shannon was born in Washington, D.C., but he also spent his childhood in Spokane, Washington. In an interview with Sonia Bolle in the Children's Literature Review (CLR), he said, "I loved Oliver Twist," but I liked the Artful Dodger more than Oliver. And I always thought the villains in Disney Movies were really cool."[2] Shannon said that this fondness for villains made him realize as a child that "you need both sides for a good story."[2]

As a student in high school, he decided early on that he wanted to have a career in an art field.[2] Shannon enjoyed making his own illustrations to books that he was reading in high school.[2] Shannon attended art school at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and decided to focus on learning about political illustrations. In 1983, Shannon moved to New York City and began working for various magazines and newspapers. Two of his major jobs were for the New York Times and the Book Review.[2] These jobs brought Shannon's work increased exposure. His first book of illustrations was Julius Lester's How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have? (1989).[3]

Children's books

Shannon's first book, was How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball (1994), where Shannon was able to incorporate his dark painting style, which came from his love of villains, with a story about baseball.[2]

Shannon's book No David! (1998) was named a Caldecott Honor Book in 1999. This book is the story of a mischievous child whose mother is always telling him 'no' But she reassures him at the end when she finally says, "Yes, David, I love you." According to a review in the CLR, "Readers won't be able to resist taking a walk on the wild side with this little rascal, and may only secretly acknowledge how much of him they recognize in themselves."[4]

Shannon followed No David! (1998) up with David Goes to School (1999) and David Gets in Trouble (2002). The latter was reviewed by Adele Greenlee, who stated that, "Children who enjoyed No, David! (1998) and David Goes to School (1999) will welcome this lighthearted sequel."[5]

Style

An entry in the Eight Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators states, "Shannon tells his stories with vibrant, imaginative pictures. Working with acrylic paints, he creates characters and settings that both illustrate and expand the story being told. His artwork is richly colored, and the results can be funny, mischievous, ironic, sensational, spooky, serious, even epic." Shannon's work has been recognized by the American Library Association and the School Library Journal. As Dwight Garner said, "David Shannon is among this country's most respected children's book illustrators; in a field that has nearly as many award ceremonies each year as the television industry does, Shannon has taken home most of their prizes..."[6]

In The Rain Came Down (2000), an unexpected summer shower causes great chaos in a small neighborhood. This huge shower causes a line of temper tantrums, but when the clouds suddenly break, all of the sour moods go away.[7] A review for CLR said, "Shannon expertly uses vertiginous angles as he builds suspense, then calms things down with a set of subdued portraits and a view of a quiet afternoon picnic."[7]

Awards
  • How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball (1994) was on The New York Times list as one of the Ten Best Illustrated Books of 1994.
  • No David! (1998) was named as a Caldecott Honor Book, an ALA Notable Children's Book, a Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon title, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and was on the New York Times Best Illustrated Book list
  • The Rain Came Down (2001) was awarded the Golden Kite Award;
  • How I Became a Pirate (2003) received the Booksense Best Picture Book.[3]

Personal life

Shannon lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Heidi, and his daughter, Emma (b. 1998).[3] Shannon is working on the screenplay for Georgie Radbourn, for a DreamWorks live-action film.

Bibliography
publication
date		 title series or notes format
 It's Christmas, David!David 
Feb 2005Oh, David!Diaper Davidboard book
1994How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball  
 The Ballad of the Pirate QueensJane Yolen 
Sep 1996EncounterJane Yolen 
 The BunyansAudrey Wood 
Sep 2003How I Became a Pirate  
Sep 1998No David!Davidhardcover
 The Acrobat and the AngelMark Shannon 
Oct 2008Too Many Toys  
Sep 2005David Smells!Diaper Davidboardbook
Sep 2002David Gets in TroubleDavidhardcover
Mar 2007Pirates Don't Change Diapers  
Feb 2005Oops!Diaper Davidboard book
Aug 1999David Goes To SchoolDavidhardcover
Apr 2002Duck on a Bike  
 Duck and a Book  
 The Rough-Face GirlRafe Martin 
 Robot ZotJon Scieszka 
 Amazing Christmas Extravaganza  
Mar 2006Good Boy, Fergus!  
Jan 2009Smash That Trash!Jon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Oct 2004Alice The Fairy  
Jun 2008Who's That Truck?Jon Scieszka's Trucktown 
 Kat's Mystery GiftJon Scieszka's Trucktown 
 Kat's MapsJon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Jun 2008Meet Jack Truck!Jon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Sep 2008What a Wreck!Jon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Oct 2008Melvin Might?Jon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Sep 2008Snow Trucking!Jon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Jun 2008Pete's PartyJon Scieszka's Trucktown 
 Truckery RhymesJon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Oct 2000The Rain Came Down  
Jun 2008Zoom! Boom! BullyJon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Jan 2009On the Move!Jon Scieszka's Trucktown 
Sep 2006Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?Marla Frazee 
Oct 2002A Bad Case of Stripes  
Jan 2009Uh-Oh, MaxJon Scieszka's Trucktown 

References
  1. "How I Became A Pirate". Archived from the original on 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2010-06-25.
  2. Bolle, S (2003), "David Shannon: A Merry Prankster", S. Peacock (Ed.)Children's Literature Review, Detroit: Gale Publishers Weekly, 87 (29): 168–169 Retrieved April 29, 2009, from Literature Resource Center via Gale
  3. "David Shannon", Something About The Author, Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 15: 220–226, 2005 Gale Thomson
  4. "Untitled", S. Peacock (Ed.) Children's Literature Review, Detroit: Gale Publishers Weekly, 87 (27): 59, 2003a Retrieved April 29, 2009, from Literature Resource Center via Gale
  5. "David Gets in Trouble". Perma-Bound Books. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
  6. Garner, D (2002), "Busted: when Mommy ignores him, Robbie takes matters into his own hands. When David does something wrong, he denies it", The New York Times Book Review, 107 (46) Retrieved April 29, 2009, from Literature Resource Center via Gale.
  7. "Untitled", S. Peacock (Ed.)Children's Literature Review, Detroit: Gale Publishers Weekly, 87 (42): 75, 2003b Retrieved April 29, 2009, from Literature Resource Center via Gale
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