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A video interview with

David Shannon

David Shannon is the writer and illustrator behind the eponymous No, David! books. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, David Shannon talks about his love for bright colors, his distaste for lima beans, and where he gets the ideas for his books.

Click on the links below§ to watch this interview online or to download it. You can also read the interview transcript or a short biography of David Shannon, or see a selected list of his children's books.

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Coming full circle (:35)
When David Shannon switched from editorial illustrations to children's books, he realized it was his true calling.
Brighter colors (:50)
In this video clip, David Shannon describes the role that color plays in his illustrations.
The original No, David! (1:00)
Shannon reflects on the timeless ways that moms have of saying "no".
How did the five-year old do it? (1:00)
To keep No, David! authentic, David Shannon used his younger self as a guide.
My Daddy made it! (:20)
David Shannon's daughter is a big fan of his books. Sometimes she even promotes them to strangers in bookstores.
Marshmallows or lima beans? (1:20)
David Shannon explains why lima beans were the perfect cure in A Bad Case of Stripes.
Unruly kids (1:15)
David Shannon admits that he was a little unruly in grade school. He also gives advice to teachers on how to deal with troublemakers.

^§ To play this clip, you'll need a copy of the free RealOne Player. Most computers already have it installed, or you can download it now.

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