No! Never! by Libby Hathorn and Lisa Hathorn-Jarman
Illus. by Mel Pearce. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734418906.
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. The face on the front cover says it
all: a defiant young child saying, 'no, never' will recall tantrums
such as this in most families, as parents, siblings and teachers
alike cringe with the remembrance of such unacceptable behaviour.
Georgie always has something better to do when Mum calls her to go
for a walk, or when dinner is on the table, or she is asked to tidy
her room. 'No! Never!' is a constant ring on every page as the child
refuses to comply with the wishes of her parents. She refuses to
listen to a story before bedtime, ignores the ducks in the
bathwater, is even rude to Grandma. She loves this game and thinks
it really clever to answer back with the same words. That is, until
the tables are turned on Georgie.
When a friend comes around to ask her out to play, Mum replies 'No!
Never!', when Dad brings home a new book and Georgie wants to hear
it, he replies, 'No! Never!' When her neighbour comes in with a
brand new puppy, asking Georgie to come and play with the dog, her
parents say, 'No! Never!'
Georgie begins to realise that perhaps saying no is hurting her,
keeping her from her friends, keeping her from her family. She
watches as her baby sister is cuddled and eats with their parents,
has books read to her, plays in the bath with Mum, and is allowed to
go next door to see the puppy. The penny finally drops when Georgie
realises how sad she is and tells her family that from now on she
will say 'Yes!'
A lovely versified cautionary tale full of the interactions that
beset families, revealing a simple and effective course to take when
one member refuses to go along with the rest of the family.
The illustrations will charm the readers, revealing the two sides to
little Georgie, an aggressive rude child and one more compliant and
understanding. I love looking closely at how Pearce shows us what
the protagonists are feeling: just a slight downturn of the mouth or
wider eyes, sloping eyes, and a tilt of the shoulders tells the
reader so much about the characters. A fun read for reader and
listener with read a loud very much a necessary prospect for the
children to yell out Georgie's repeated phrase to her parents.
Themes: Tantrums, Behaviour, Family, Verse.
Fran Knight