LaRochelle, David. Mr. Fox’s Game of “No!” Mike Wohnoutka, Illus. Candlewick, 09/2024. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-2967-7. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Mr. Fox dares the reader to try his game of reading this book without saying the word “yes,” in this story sure to inspire interaction. Fox explains: “Every time I ask a question, you have to say “No!” If you accidentally say “YES,” then you have to go all the way back to the beginning of the book and start over.” This turns the book into a game, both for storytime audiences or one on one, and it is sure to inspire laughs due to Fox’s manipulative questions. The gouache cartoon artwork adds to the fun, with Fox dressed in a suit and top hat. Sure to demand repeated readings, this will work for a wide age range and appeals to those that enjoyed B.J. Novak’s The Book with No Pictures (Dial, 2014).
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool