Cover Image: A Thousand No's

A Thousand No's

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A solid example of a picture book for older kids. The text is too figurative for little ones to grasp. I can imagine specific uses for this book but not one that I would purchase randomly.

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This was a cute little book about NO being a positive and a negative thing. NO can have so many different types of meanings and be used in many different ways.

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This is a great little book, not just for kids, but for adults as well. A young girl has a little glowing egg of an idea, but when she shares it, she gets a No. This No is heavy, it's difficult to carry, and it hurts. Then she gets another No, and another, and soon the No's are making her idea grow and change shape. The idea is still hers, but the help of others is making her idea better, until finally it turns into a great big Yes.
Now, the moral of the story is pretty easy to see here, but at the same time, it doesn't smash you in the face. It's a good thing for children to learn, that hearing No doesn't have to be the end of an idea, and that No's can be helpful, but you know what? Adults could use this message too! Dan Dougherty's illustrations, which have an Angus Oblong vibe to them, are fabulous, and really bring DJ Corchin's story to life in a quirky, entertaining way, and I don't see how the text and art could get any better suited to each other. This would make the perfect gift for any would-be entrepreneurs, inventors, authors, artists, anyone looking to create something new.

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'A Thousand No's' by DJ Corchin with art by Dan Dougherty is a picture book about facing adversity and sticking to your dreams.

A little girl has a great idea, but she is told no. She thinks it's a great idea, and is still told no. As she persists, the NO's pile up. What's to be done with all of them?

I liked this simple story about persisting in the face of rejection. The art is black and white and really humorous with the determined little girl

I received a review copy of this ebook from Sourcebooks Kids and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

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I can't help it, the title immediately makes me think of the They Might be Giants song "NO". When your kid it seems like every single thing you ask elicits an immediate NO, hence we have a very relatable life experience that most kids can relate to. Its definitely going in my Follett basket this fall.

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What a great way to show children how the word "No!" can be transformed into a "Yes!" through hard work and perseverance. With excellent illustrations, A Thousand No's is an interactive novel that children of all ages will enjoy.

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I received an ARC through NetGalley from Sourcebooks Explore. This picture book is all about perseverance. One little girl with a great idea keeps getting told No, but she doesn’t stop. Dramatic black and white illustrations that eventually add color drive this book forward. The graphics jump off the pages and the illustration of the “no’s” allows for interesting reading and creative read-aloud options. While the story might be a little lacking, it is clear the message is Don’t Give Up. Recommended ages 4-7.

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We all know how it feels to be told “No!” and for children, the intensity of that feeling is magnified, especially when the “No!” is repeated, and repeated again. As adults we (hopefully) have a better grasp of how the nos pile up and piece together and morph into the kinds of yeses that allow us to navigate the world with confidence and courage. It’s hard to keep that in mind, though, when A) your frontal love is still cooking, and B) your perspective on your life consists almost entirely of being *told,* rather than *getting to tell.* (I have such sympathy for the kids who keep getting told no. I was and am one of them.) Enter A THOUSAND NOs, stage left. This delightful picture book illustrates just how a “No!” can be a character-building thing, only without being as boring as it sounds when I say it. While largely consisting of detailed and delicate black and white line art, the final pop of color coincides with the transformation of that word into something much, much more exciting––but you’ll have to read it to see what I mean.

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I got the message right away and enjoyed the quick story. It resonated and I think it's valuable, especially for all women and girls.

However, when trying to share with my daughter, I got, "Ew. Why would I even want to look at this?! The pictures are scary!" OK. I see her point on that and realize if the art direction was friendlier, this would be a much more relatable gift for giving. As it is, the black and white drawings are neither pretty or cute for younger folks.

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DJ Corchin’s picture book, A Thousand No’s, aspires to empower young readers and help them overcome rejection. The story follows an unnamed, ponytailed girl—who curiously has no nose!—who has an idea. We never know quite what it is, but it’s represented as a glowing ball of light. Time after time, this idea gets rejected by others. But she perseveres, and that good idea transforms into a great idea. And we all can guess what’ll happen to her once she’s got a great idea on her hands!

The art is simple and has a sparse, comic feel to it. The language is lean. At 40 pages, the book is a fast read, which helps keep readers focused on the messaging. In short, it’s easy to see why this story would be popular with parents and educators, as well as people in marketing and sales.

Two things to note.

One—this book was originally published a couple of years ago. The author’s website states that publisher Sourcebooks has acquired the rights to his entire published library, which is why it’s now being reissued. Having never seen the original, all of my comments are regarding the new version, which releases in August 2020.

Two—As much as I support the fundamental message of the book, the plural of “No” is not “No’s.” Merriam Webster, the Oxford English Dictionary, and numerous other sources all explain that the correct plural is “noes” or “nos.” This might not bug you, but it stops me cold, grammatically speaking.

Regardless, this book plays with color in an interesting way—watch for the end! And fans of Kobi Yamada, Peter H. Reynolds, and Etan Boritzer might well appreciate the metaphorical success story that is A Thousand No’s.

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NO.
A small, but powerful word, that can have a massive impact.
It can make you feel small, it can make you feel unworthy and it can make you give up on your dreams,
What if you use that word and turn it into something amazing.
That’s what this character does, she is determined to take the power of those No’s and make her dreams happen no matter what.
Simple black and white illustrations, with a little splash of colour at the end, help to get the message across in this simple but powerful book!

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Thank you to the publisher and @NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. I absolutely loved this simple story of perseverance. We all have those ideas that are blocked by “No” and they truly are heavy feeling like the book suggests. I enjoyed how the book showed how sometimes we need help to turn our no’s into yes’s!
An excellent lesson for all.

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A Thousand No's by DJ Corchin is a picturebook that is currently scheduled for release on August 4 2020. There was a little girl who had a great idea. She had the most amazing, superb, best idea ever! NO? Wait, what do you mean NO? NO again? What is she supposed to do with all these NO's? NO after NO after NO come the little girl's way, twisting and squishing her idea. But by persevering, collaborating and using a little imagination, all those NO's become the building blocks for the biggest YES ever! A Thousand NO's is a story about perseverance and innovation. It shows what amazing things can happen if we work with others and don't give up, and teaches kids not to let expectations of how things should be get in the way of what could be.

A Thousand No's is a picturebook that shows that ideas can grow and change, sometimes for the better. A few no's help the young girl stretch and change her idea, but collaborating with others and allowing those changes made her idea bigger and better. I like that the story showed that the process of an idea changing, and allowing others in to help, can be hard. However, being willing to share, willing to adapt, makes for wonderful things. The illustrations are mostly black and white, with wonderful details and powerful uses of color. I enjoyed the read and think that it is enjoyable as a read to share, and as one to start discussions about ideas, hearing no, and collaboration.

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This book was about a girl who had an idea, but everyone kept telling her 'no.' Instead of her succumbing to the rejection, she ended up using the criticism to make something brilliant!

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I received an ARC of this novel thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Kids and NetGalley.

I LOVED A Thousand No’s. It is a book that should be in every child’s library, and should be read to every child by every adult they know!

The illustrations are simple, but beautiful, and really show the burden the girl feels by all of the no’s she is getting. I loved how the book transitioned into color as she embraced the no’s and used them to help change her idea into something bigger.

I cannot recommend this book enough!

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Young readers and even adults need to know it's okay to get a no. A Thousand No's creatively illustrates that no's can be frustrating and challenging but can at the same time evolve an idea to something bigger and better. In the end, one should not be afraid of a thousand no's because it can lead to new, improved and rewarding "Yes".

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This book would be great to use in the classroom to talk about reacting to and using criticism and working collaboratively and creatively. The black and white drawings are simple yet appealing.

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The use of color in the illustrations was subtle but impactful. I especially love the fact that the protagonist's idea was never mentioned, making it easy for readers to generalize. The message of overcoming difficulties by working with others is one that everyone, especially adults, need to remember.

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Who doesn't love a character with a great idea, innovation, and perseverance?
A Thousand No's by DJ Corchin has all three. A young girl has a superb idea. But then, she's told no. Not once, but over and over again. This young girl doesn't give up. She preserves, gets help, and with a little creativity comes up with an ingenious solution to deal with no.
The book starts with black and white illustrations and gradually introduces color, foreshadowing something spectacular.

Merit: Great message about perseverance.

Shortcomings: From a structural point of view I wanted to know a little more about what was behind the NO..

Verdict: I would buy this for Kindergarten to Second Grade classrooms, to use as a springboard for further discussions.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Explore for the e-Arc.

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A Thousand No’s is a delightful picture book about a girl who came up with what she thought was a wonderful idea. However, she begins to hear a lot of NO’s which caused her idea to become too heavy and she is just not sure if she wants input from her friends. After a while, she realizes that just maybe it may not hurt if others become involved. In fact, it may make things better. The pictures are adorable, especially the expressions on the girl’s face. This would be a great book to teach children about how sometimes working together rather than working alone can make something even better.

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