No!

Even the most adorable kid can go through a major oppositional phase. For a rhino named Otto, the newly learned word "No!"%E2%80%94which Warnes always sets off with emphatic bold type and a bright yellow word balloon%E2%80%94initially 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%E2%80%94literally%E2%80%94and 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%E2%80%937. (Sept.)