THE KNIGHT WHO SAID "NO!"

Little knight Ned might be the most helpful child in the kingdom.

When asked to help, Ned, the village’s only kid, always answers, “YES!” He also obediently scurries inside every night when the dragon comes and the grown-up knights tell people to take shelter. But one evening Ned thinks he hears the dragon sigh as everyone hides. Could the dragon be as lonely as he is? The next day, Ned feels “strange: all mad inside / and hot from top to toe,” and he begins to answer “NO!” Whether it’s a request for milk from his mother or assistance with his weaponry from his father, the answer is the same: “NO!” That night, when the dragon comes, Ned does not obey the knights but stays outside instead to beard the dragon, who is in fact lonely, triggering Ned’s resounding “YES!” to a new friendship. Children will relate to Ned’s many emotions, and his “yes” and “no” responses in this rhyming story are predictable, allowing them to chime in during read-alouds. Wonderfully detailed village scenes with strong primary colors and geometric designs inspire shape recognition. Dominating her scenes, the fiery-red dragon’s posture and often goofy facial expressions soften as she creates a new life with her friend. Ned, his family, and most of the townspeople present white, but the butcher appears to be a man of color.

This emotionally astute tale will strike chords of recognition. (Picture book. 3-5)