David Shannon takes care in making each character as colorful as they can be and masterfully illustrates Camilla’s odd situation by adding vivid colors to each transformation that Camilla takes on. “A Bad Case of Stripes” has one of the most creative illustrations I have ever seen. David Shannon, author of the popular “David” series, has created a surreal yet enchanting tale that will gain attention from both kids and adults. “A Bad Case of Stripes” is a story about how peer pressure literally can affect a person.

Never mind the author's intended message, some kids will be freaked out by the possibility of foods causing them to change colors and may suffer anxiety for months, or years, to come.

SO if you have a sensitive child like I do, I urge some caution with this book. (She ended up eating lunch in the school office that day so she wouldn't have to hear the story.) She is dreading lunchtime tomorrow when he will finish the book (and go through the part where the girl is all stripes). Today the principal read the first half during lunchtime and she covered her ears but could not block the sound. Now in 1st grade I have warned her new teacher however I know it is in the classroom and she is scared of it. In kindergarten we warned her teacher and it wasn't an issue. We asked her preschool class to put it behind other books so she wouldn't see it in the book area (if she did see it, she wouldn't go near it). We got this book as a gift from my father when she was 4 and it scared her. She pretty much only eats pink/red and white foods now. I realize it is very, very popular but my daughter has a great imagination and now she is very scared of eating orange, green, and blue foods. My daughter is in 1st grade (age 6) and is TERRIFIED of this book.

A bad case of stripes by david shannon