Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/01/2010 PreS-Gr 1—Christmas gives more opportunities to admonish the irrepressible David in this familiar story that nonetheless feels fresh with the added holiday trappings. Temptations abound as the beloved rascal attempts to track down hidden presents, snitches cookies, presents his lengthy wish list to Santa, and stays up late with his face pressed up against the window on Christmas Eve. Cheekier moments include a recurring scene from the first book of David heading for the horizon clad only in a winter hat, mittens, and boots, and his name written in telltale yellow letters in the snow. Emotions are easily conveyed, from David's hyper anticipation, to his very real fear that maybe his behavior makes him unworthy of Santa's attention, to the comforting and blissful endpage.—Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/15/2010 Christmas comes to the David series in the form of new temptations for this lovable wild child. But the pleasures of trying to peek at presents and snitch cookies are tempered by the discomfort of a formal holiday dinner and the nightmarish fear of receiving a lump of coal from Santa. The pithy text is hilariously illustrated in dramatically composed, richly colorful illustrations. Echoing No, David! (1998), Shannon even re-creates the memorable summer scene of naked David leaping joyfully down the sidewalk, this time comically clad in just boots, mittens, and a knitted cap. An unusually funny read-aloud for Christmas. - Copyright 2010 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 11/01/2010 The stern Santa torso looming over a broken tree ornament on the title page says it all-incorrigible David is undoubtedly on the Naughty, rather than the Nice, List. The run-up to Christmas day finds him ransacking a closet for hidden presents, playing with fragile ornaments, hurling a snowball through a neighbor’s window, and suffering over a daintily plated salad while adult admonishments swirl around his head: “That’s the wrong fork! . . . Put your napkin in your lap. . . . Get your elbows off the table!” Christmas morning tragically greets David with a bare tree, a lump of coal, and a letter from Santa concerning his giftless state-fortunately, though, that was only a stress dream, and his real morning wake-up call summons him to a living room full of presents and the cuddling arms of his long-suffering, loving parents. Kids who are already invested in the David franchise will recognize a fair amount of recycled material here, from the precarious angle at which David tips from footstool to closet shelf (shades of the cookie raid in No, David!, BCCB 9/98), to the pee-writing in the snow that may emanate from David or his equally scampish terrier Fergus, to his regressively toddler-ish streaking down the street. While these repetitive details may cause a few parents to grumble about getting full bang for their holiday buck, kids will simply welcome well-loved gags festively rewrapped. Illustrations are vintage Shannon, drawing viewers into full spread close-ups of David’s frenetic world, where his round, stubbly-haired head takes center stage, and scrawled hand-lettering (“No Peeking!”) provides the exasperated adult soundtrack for the little guy’s antics. Consciences troubled by a year’s worth of misdeeds will sympathize and take heart. EB - Copyright 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.