No! (Let's Read Together)

Even the most adorable kid can go through a major oppositional phase. For a rhino named Otto, the newly learned word "No!"—which Warnes always sets off with emphatic bold type and a bright yellow word balloon—initially seems like an effective tool for getting anyone to back off, whether they want him to go to bed or to share a toy dinosaur. "Soon, Otto was saying his word all the time," writes Corderoy, but when he starts missing out on good stuff (classroom treats, playground games), "sometimes he wished he hadn't." It takes a dousing of cold water—literally—and a forgiving hug to reboot Otto's infinite "No!" loop. Warnes, who previously collaborated with Corderoy on Monty and Milli: The Totally Amazing Magic Trick, creates an expressive, sympathetically rendered anthropomorphized cast and benevolent settings that keep Otto from seeming like an incorrigible brat and the overall message light. It's a lively read (with plenty of opportunities for audience participation), and an effective way of holding up a mirror to nascent naysayers. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)

PreS—Otto is a cute little rhino who has entered the defiant stage of toddlerhood: he says "no" to everything. Eventually he notices that sometimes he is rejecting things that he actually wants, and he learns a new favorite word: "yes." This British import offers mild, unobtrusive bibliotherapy wrapped in warmly expressive paintings. However, the "no" stage is a normal part of child development, and toddlers may not be affected by hearing about the advantages of saying, "yes." The book is probably more useful as encouragement for harried parents than as a learning tool for youngsters. That said, this is a sweet and emotionally satisfying story that adults and children will enjoy together.—Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL