LILA SAID NO

A little girl’s favorite word is “no” in Frayard’s children’s picture book.

Lila’s mom and dad say it’s time for breakfast; Lila “folded her arms, scrunched up her face, closed her eyes and said, ‘NO!’” Her parents, concerned that Lila won’t get the nutrition she needs, try coaxing her with “please” and “pretty please,” but Lila agrees only when she is rewarded with a treat. The trap that Lila’s mom and dad fall into in this humorous picture book will be recognizable to many a parent of young children: Lila quickly learns that saying “no” day after day to everything from taking a bath to getting dressed earns a motivating treat from her desperate caregivers. The author’s empathy for parents comes through when, as the days go by, they realize that Lila has no reason to say “yes” when “no” means treats. Mom and dad finally change tactics, accepting Lila’s “No!” with “Fine!” After going to school in her pajamas and going to bed  “hungry and dirty and sticky and icky,” Lila no longer wants to say no. Veteran illustrator Bennett’s offbeat images of Lila as a round-faced little girl with shaggy red hair, pale skin, and big blue spectacles are set against full-page watercolor washes over subtle background details. The hand-drawn style of the text, with Lila’s “NO!” and other words in uppercase letters for emphasis, adds more visual fun.

Quirky and entertaining, with a kid- and parent-savvy message.