From: Bstauffa26 at aol.com <Bstauffa26>
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 21:30:58 EST

I've had a great time using No, David! with all grade levels at my two elementary school libraries. As we approach the end of the book, I pause to ask the kids how David is feeling about his day. They have no trouble with answering; then I ask how they think the mom is feeling. I hear "exasperated, angry, confused, frustrated, tired out" but only one 4th grader has come up with the feeling I used to have at that point in my son's No, David days--the sense of disappointment in myself when I realized that I had said nothing but NO to that child all day long. We talk about how both David and his mom need that hug at the end of the day. Indeed, there is an important story under all the wild energy of David's day. (I also have to argue a bit with the kids that David is more mischievous and energetic than "bad"--they want to lock him up!)

Bonnie Withers Humboldt Park Elementary Milwaukee French Immersion School Milwaukee Public Schools bstauffa26 at aol.com
Received on Tue 09 Feb 1999 08:30:58 PM CST