Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young elephant learns that no can have a multitude of meanings. That small word can be crushing to a youngster. It might even result in "a steaming, stomping elephant blowing up" into a full-blown tantrum: "RWARRRRR!" But what does no really mean? Sometimes, it might just be a simple "NOT YET." Or, when the bespectacled little pachyderm takes a flying leap while performing in a play, it can mean "BE CAREFUL!" While the elephant is barreling toward a precarious house of cards, it becomes an anxious "PLEASE FREEZE." But it can also be positive: An astonishing magic show results in a wowed audience gasping, "Nooo!" It's no wonder that tiny (well, actually rather large) elephant ears can get confused. Lourenço fills the page with a reverberating "NO" as our elephant hero crouches down, eyes squeezed shut, ears plugged by hefty feet. It can be a heavy, overpowering word. But learning the reason behind the no lessens the sting. This handy guide to dealing with a small but powerful word will strike chords of familiarity among children and adults alike. Accompanied by a bevy of adorable anthropomorphic animals, our sweetly rotund protagonist is an endearing reader stand-in. A resounding, trumpeting "YES!" (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
