Too Many Toys

by David Shannon, David Shannon (Illustrator)

Overview

Caldecott Honor winner and bestselling author-illustrator David Shannon makes readers laugh aloud when young Spencer's mountain of toys becomes overwhelming. A book that will be read again and again.

Spencer has too many toys! His father trips over them, his mother falls over them, and the house is overflowing with junk. Now its time to give some of the mountain of goodies away, but Spencer finds it hard. In the end, he fills a box, but decides the one toy he can't part with is the box!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780439490290
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	10/01/2008
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	121,102
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD600L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Shannon is the internationally acclaimed creator of more than 40 picture books, including No, David!, a Caldecott Honor Book, and his second New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, and four more David picture books. Shannon's bestsellers include A Bad Case of Stripes, Duck on a Bike, and Too Many Toys. He lives in Southern California with his family and Roy, their West Highland white terrier.

Hometown:

Los Angeles, California

Date of Birth:

October 5, 1960

Place of Birth:

Washington, D. C. (Raised in Spokane, Washington)

Education:

B.A., Art Center College of Design

Editorial Reviews

* "A master at capturing the workings of a young mind, Shannon combines realistic dialogue with his boisterous illustrations to create another surefire hit. This book provides a pertinent and appealing read." – School Library Journal (starred review)"Shannon's sardonic wit will strike a chord with parents and children alike." – Kirkus ReviewsBank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year, 2009 Cybils Awards, 2008 Finalist E.B. White Read Aloud Award, 2009 Honor Book

From the Publisher

Even the most unreasonable child will concede that Spencer, Shannon's young hero, has too much of a good thing. But what's a kid to do? The toys just keep coming: from well-wishers, from birthday party hosts, from fast food joints, even from school, where they're rewards "for having lots of Peace Person Points." When his exasperated mother decides to cull the herd, Spencer's not-so-delicate negotiations give Shannon (No, David!) plenty of opportunity to display his flair for kid-friendly expressionism and domestic satire (one of the most annoying toys turns out to belong to dad). But what will ultimately keep kids glued to the page is the sheer breadth and depth of the overflowing inventory. Toys 'R' Spencer is a sight to behold, encompassing the tried-and-true (teddy bears, dump trucks), the spoof (a miniature Titanic) and the flat-out weird (a poultry monstrosity with Alfred E. Newman ears and a propeller head). Warning: do not administer to kids close to Christmas. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

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Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 2

In many ways Spencer's situation epitomizes every child's fantasy-he has a toy collection that rivals a major toy store in depth and breadth. Simply cataloging the different types takes many engaging pages overflowing with brightly colored playthings. The problem is that the sheer number of toys has created multiple hazards. Tired of dodging disasters and sidestepping landslides, Spencer's mom decides that enough is enough and begins negotiating the downsizing of inventory. Savvy Spencer turns on the big sad eyes in order to protect his favorites. Mom's troubles do not stop there; the toy debate is weighted in the boy's favor by the constant deluge of gifts from friends and family. After sorting through the entire collection, he and his mother come up with a box of items to give away-only to find that the toy he refuses to part with is the box. A master at capturing the workings of a young mind, Shannon combines realistic dialogue with his boisterous illustrations to create another surefire hit. This book provides a pertinent and appealing read.-Piper Nyman, Brookmeade Elementary School, Nashville, TN

School Library Journal

Spencer owns a multitude of toys: old toys and new ones, big toys and small ones, bath toys, wooden toys, board games, computer games, miniature cars and trucks, musical instruments, stuffed animals and action figures. They are everywhere, including on the floor where his parents can trip on them. One day, Spencer's mom has had enough and announces that some of the toys have to go. Shaken, Spencer cries, "BUT I LOVE THEM ALL!" There's no stopping Spencer's mom, however, who says she will help and proves to be a worthy adversary when Spencer attempts to make deals. Snappy dialogue and an absolutely on-target understanding of the psyches of both mother and child make the negotiation scene absolutely priceless. Will they both make it through the harrowing task before them? The elaborate, child-friendly pictures perfectly capture Spencer's world, zeroing in on the chaos with glee and then pulling back to demonstrate graphically the traumas suffered by both adults and child in the process. Shannon's sardonic wit will strike a chord with parents and children alike. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews