(2) PS The Baby-Sitters Club could have told him not to lead with dessert. But there's the imperturbable Mr. Nogginbody (Mr. Nogginbody Gets a Hammer, rev. 9/19) dispensing a chocolate ice-cream soda to a mini Noggin at the start of what he seems to think will be a lovely evening. But only after the first slurp through the straw, drawn out over two suspenseful double-page spreads, and the subsequent burp does Mr. N. find out that he's supposed to serve the ice-cream soda after homework is completed, not before it is begun. Oops. A sugar high with its wanton abandon and incidental destruction ensues, and Mr. N. discovers his inner child. Things go a little over-the-heads-of-babes at this point, but no matter: the relationship is genuine, and the antics are all the funnier for Shannon's fastidious, mainly ink depictions of the mayhem and its hapless actors. Mr. Nogginbody is, let's face it, creepy-looking, and the kid is no prize. But they are clearly both drawn with love.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(2) K-3 A neat lesson in perseverance goes entertainingly out of control when Mr. Nogginbody (he looks like an egg) concludes that his new hammer can fix anything that looks like a nail. His triumphant, oblivious shouts of "Fixed it!" accompany a succession of mishaps including a smashed lamp and a flattened field of daisies. He eventually learns a Lesson about force not always being the best solution. Shannon's bold and up-close pictures of the chaos gleefully capture the indiscriminate mayhem.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) K-3 Bizzy Mizz Lizzie is eager to win Hivetown's Spelling Contest and meet the Queen Bee--but she's so exhausted from studying that she falls asleep mid-word. Ironically, it's when Lizzie slows down that she meets the Queen, who validates the philosophy that sometimes taking a break allows us to be our best. Shannon's art is appropriately exuberant, with plenty of bee-related puns in the details.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) PS Starting right where Duck on a Bike left off, Duck hops on a tractor, stopping only to pick up his barnyard buddies: Dog, Mouse, Sheep, etc. They make their way downtown, cruising past the diner and giving startled onlookers an eyeful. Shannon's easygoing text and his illustrations, too, humorously blend farmyard realism with judicious anthropomorphism.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(3) K-3 A boy describes the mayhem that ensues when he catches lice. Shannon's informative and amusing text lets readers know that everyone feels embarrassed and grossed out by lice, and his gigantic, googly-eyed bugs add to both the humor and the yuck factor. This book should prove helpful for both kids and adults, but, like the back jacket warns, it will definitely "make you ITCHY!"

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) K-3 When a failed ball player becomes a powerful political leader, he exacts his revenge by outlawing baseball and everything associated with it. But he is no match for Georgie Radbourn, a child with an amazing pitching arm and an inability to speak except in baseball clichés. The illustrations are rich and appropriately menacing, but the text has an unappealing, adult tone.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(2) K-3 A father tells his son this one-that-got-away tall tale. Jangles, legendary trout of Big Lake, had "broken so many fishing lines that his huge, crooked jaw was covered with shiny metal lures and rusty old fishhooks..." Working with a palette as dark and evocative as the depths in which his elusive character dwells, Shannon provides formidable close-up views of this battle-scarred, larger-than-life character.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012

(2) PS Shannon highlights the naughty things his mischievous title character does near Christmastime; this includes winter versions of previous David escapades (e.g., streaking down the street, now with hat, mittens, and boots). As usual, humorous illustrations fill in the gaps of the minimal text and keep readers wondering what David will do next--right up until the heartwarming final page.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(3) K-3 Sprawling illustrations in Shannon's recognizable style (i.e., well-ordered frenzy) depict the glut of multicolored playthings--Legos, stuffed animals, action figures--that overrun Spencer's house. His mother orders him to part with some, but Spencer thwarts her organization attempt (and showcases his imagination) by refusing to relinquish the "best toy EVER": the box in which they put the giveaways. A creative take on excess.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(2) PS "Fairy dust is very useful. I use it to turn oatmeal into cake." In the accompanying illustration, a tiara-adorned girl piles sugar on her breakfast, showing off one of her many magical fairy tricks. While she's not as rude as her literary cousin, David (No, David!), fans will still enjoy the basic goodness, exuberance, and wild imagination of Shannon's latest character.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2005

(2) PS Rarely have the barnyard animals been reiterated in a picture book with such panache. Duck on a bike is silly, says Cow; unsafe, says Sheep; a show-off, declare the Pigs; while Dog admires the trick, and Cat wouldn't waste her time. Still, when a bunch of children leave their bikes temptingly riderless, the entire barnyard goes on a cycling spree. The exuberant fun really takes off in the crayon-bright paintings.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2002

(2) PS David (No, David!) is a little older and has more words and more ways to stir things up. He has an excuse for everything, whether it's breaking a window with an ill-hit baseball ("It was an accident!") or pulling the cat's tail ("But she likes it!"). Shannon's familiar naif art manages to show nuances of David's various moods. As ever, the adults pull together to show David what he needs to know: he is lovable and loved, despite his flaws.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2003

(2) PS When the rain starts falling, a whole neighborhood is soon honking, bickering, and snapping at one another. "And still, the rain came down." Humorous details in the artwork relieve the mood of increasing crankiness, and calm and goodwill are finally restored when the rain stops and the sun comes out. Want to settle down an overly rambunctious group? Let them blow off steam with this satisfyingly circular story.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2000

(3) PS With a bit more text but the same brash style, Shannon reveals that his impish protagonist has as much trouble following rules at school as he did at home in No, David!. The boy's mischievousness and unlimited energy are writ large on his jack-o'-lantern-style face as he goes about the day provoking his teacher's admonishments and, finally, praise.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(3) K-3 "No"--the word toddlers hear most--figures prominently in this spirited book as it tags along after an impishly drawn boy constantly reprimanded for doing something he shouldn't. Robustly colored close-ups of David flooding the bathtub and jumping on the bed convey his surplus energy while endearing him to readers, who will be glad to see his mother reassuring him of her love at the end.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) K-3 A girl obsessed with what people think about her contracts an ailment that literally turns her into whatever anyone--classmates, doctors, etc.--decides she should be. The story is heavy-handed, but the girl's graphically depicted symptoms, from multicolored stripes to twigs and other spiny appendages protruding from her body, contribute to the dark comedy of the retro-style paintings.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.