1000 TIMES NO

There are many ways to say “no,” and when Mom says it’s time to leave, Baby Noah uses them all. The word itself is not effective, so he moves on to slang, robot-speak and pig Latin, and that’s just the beginning. Simplified text, retro design and minimal line work reminiscent of Mo Willems’s show Noah expressing himself adamantly in a multitude of ways. The exaggeration and laugh-out-loud humor escalates as various gestures (headshake, back turn) are attempted, and a multitude of languages (Hindi, Etruscan and Russian, to name just a few, with matching costume changes) are utilized. Other modes of communication (Morse code, text messaging, sky writing) come into play, but all fail. Then Mom points out that they are leaving to go to the playground, and Noah may have to reconsider. This clever, appealing concept is sure to be a hit with the very young; with gentle humor and a cartoon-like atmosphere, the expressive pictures beautifully capture the point of view and opinionated stance of a two-year-old who believes he knows exactly what he wants. (Picture book. 3-6)