Mr. Nogginbody and the Childish Child

by David Shannon

Overview

Grownupish grownup . . .

What in the world does that mean?!

Babysitting should be pretty straightforward: if you give the child a chocolate soda, he’ll do his homework. Unfortunately for Mr. Nogginbody, he follows those steps in that order. When the child refuses to study and begins jumping on the couch, Mr. N. jumps up after him, determined to put a stop to the shenanigans. But he quickly discovers just how much fun being a kid can be.

There’s a fine line between childish and grownupish, as readers will learn in this playful and brilliantly accomplished new picture book from Caldecott Honor–winning creator David Shannon.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781324004639
Publisher:	Norton Young Readers
Publication date:	08/25/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	729,026
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD470L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Shannon is the creator of the Caldecott Honor–winning No, David! and more than thirty other books beloved by children who “recognize immediately that they have found a kindred spirit” (New York Times). He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Hometown:

Los Angeles, California

Date of Birth:

October 5, 1960

Place of Birth:

Washington, D. C. (Raised in Spokane, Washington)

Education:

B.A., Art Center College of Design

Editorial Reviews

"[These] antics are all the funnier for Shannon’s fastidious, mainly ink depictions of the mayhem and its hapless actors....They are clearly both drawn with love."

Horn Book Magazine

"In this follow-up to Mr. Nogginbody Gets a Hammer (2019), Shannon once again brings his trademark irreverence, clever wit, and innovation to a picture book for young children."

Booklist

★ 2020-05-03
In a second installment, the well-intentioned but naïve protagonist takes on a babysitting gig.

Egg-shaped like its guardian, the pint-sized terror sports a sailor suit. “Snookums” is first seen guzzling a chocolate soda with a straw. In a comedic bit that kids will love, the hand-lettered “sluurrrp!” is inhaled into the glass over four pages. The subsequent “Buurrrp!” erupts over three, wilting the vase of flowers on the host’s table. Too late, Mr. Nogginbody is informed that the soda is supposed to follow the homework, but the now-energized child has the TV remote, and the chase is on. The ink drawings on white paper are activated with swaths of color. Panels of varying sizes signal discrete actions, and perspectives shift to focus attention and create interest. As the babysitter turns playful—and the two bounce on the couch—he observes: “You are a childish child!” The upside-down charge retorts (in text that is also upside down): “You’re a grownupish grownup!” The climax portrays the adult crashing into the ceiling and breaking the couch on the way down. The two have an emotional exchange, each fearing they will be “in deep doo-doo” when the mother returns. Luckily, Mr. Nogginbody knows his way around a hammer; repairs, homework, and mutual soda partaking are completed in short order. A visual joke awaits close observers on the final page.

Once again, a spirited Shannon narrative shows that when hearts are opened to each other, affection and harmony follow. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews