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Dear Book Lovers, Welcome! I am delighted that you have found The Through the Looking Glass blog. For over twenty years I reviewed children's literature titles for my online journal, which came out six times a year. Every book review written for that publication can be found on the Through the Looking Glass website (the link is below). I am now moving in a different direction, though the columns that I write are still book-centric. Instead of writing reviews, I'm offering you columns on topics that have been inspired by wonderful books that I have read. I tell you about the books in question, and describe how they have have impacted me. This may sound peculiar to some of you, but the books that I tend to choose are ones that resonate with me on some level. Therefore, when I read the last page and close the covers, I am not quite the same person that I was when first I started reading the book. The shift in my perspective might be miniscule, but it is still there. The books I am looking are both about adult and children's titles. Some of the children's titles will appeal to adults, while others will not. Some of the adult titles will appeal to younger readers, particularly those who are eager to expand their horizons.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and forty-five

Saying no comes naturally to little children. In fact, many of them take great pride in saying "NO!" as often as possible. When they are older, children try to get away with saying no to adults, usually with limited success, but saying no to their peers can be a problem. There are times when they need to say no to a classmate or a friend, but the word simply won't come out. What if they hurt their friend's feelings? What if the classmate gets angry?

In today's picture book, you will meet a little girl who cannot say no to her friend, even when she wants to, and it is a very frustrating situation.

Noni Says NoNoni says No
Heather Hartt-Sussman
Illustrated by Genevieve Cote
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Tundra, 2011, 978-1-77049-233-2
   When Noni was a baby, and then a toddler, she had no problem saying no. In fact, she made a point of saying no as often as she could. Now that she is older, Noni can do all kinds of wonderful and marvelous things like tie her own shoes, feed her baby brother, and say the alphabet backwards. The one thing that Noni cannot do, is to say no. Even when she wants to say no, Noni ends up saying yes instead.
   Noni’s friend Susie has no problem saying no when she wants to. She says no when Noni asks to sleep over, and when Noni wants to play with Susie’s teddy bear. Poor Noni is never able to say no to Susie, even when Susie asks to cut off all of Noni’s hair “except for a tuft at the front.” Poor Noni always finds herself saying yes.
   Some people have a terrible time finding the courage to stand up for themselves. They don’t want to rock the boat or upset anyone, so they don’t speak their mind. All too often, this means that they end up doing things that they don’t want to do.
   In this book, Heather Hartt-Sussman speaks up for all those people who cannot say no, but who long for the courage to do so. Though this title is for younger children, its message is universal, and it will resonate with readers of all ages. 

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