That’s Not Funny, David!

David is a little boy whose sense of humor does not quite jibe with those of the adults around him. When David blows bubbles in his drink and spills it all over the table, he hears, “That’s not funny!” When he has all the kids in class laughing, David hears, “You always go too far.” When he delights himself with an ink beard and mustache, all David hears is, “Why, David?” However, there’s hope: when David gets in bed and puts his feet where his head should be, David hears, “Okay, that’s pretty funny.” In a final scene, hands cradle David’s face lovingly and he hears, “What am I going to do with you?”

That’s Not Funny, David! is the latest in a series of books by David Shannon, which includes the Caldecott Honor-winning and New York Times Best Illustrated Book, No, David!. Here, Shannon cleverly explores the complexities of humor: what is funny changes based on time, place, who is judging, and even how they are feeling at that moment. Still, even when someone doesn’t always appreciate your sense of humor, it doesn’t mean they don’t love you.