*****FIVE STARRED REVIEWS for YES & NO*****
*"The story itself is simple and sweet in nature as we see the two main characters go from mildly interacting to fused together in their walk outside. VERDICT A spare and wonderful addition to picture book collections."—School Library Journal, starred review
*“Sweetly comic . . . this sustained conversation offers giggles, reassurance, and warmth. Readers may even recognize themselves in a certain hound’s bedtime reluctance to say goodbye to the day’s pleasures” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
*“It’s hard to imagine a more perfect bedtime story for the end of an adventurous toddler day.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
*“Serene . . . delightful.” —Booklist, starred review
*"Cooper’s variations on the responses and the way in which he captures the pets’ personalities with loose-lined, gestural illustrations in warm watercolors propel the story...Yes, indeed."—Horn Book, starred review
★ 06/01/2021
PreS—Dogs and cats, similar to siblings, can be glued at the hip or loose acquaintances. There are three voices in this picture book. Bold type tells readers that an owner/child is posing a question: "Are you both excited for the day?" Roman type shows the dog's answer—"Yes I am excited"—while the cat's answer is italics: "Hmpff." This pattern meets everything asked, from the early morning to the late evening. The dog replies yes with lots of tail wagging to all questions and the cat responds with little movement and a simple no. The questioner wants the two to get along and play, but they seem to find their own mischief separately. The two are sent outside to play and to look after each other. The next pages are textless and show them enjoying each other's company and the larger environment. Afterward, the two settle down for the evening and the day is done, at least for one of the pets. This book is so simple in terms of the storytelling, yet readers can easily relate to the characters and their feelings. Beautiful illustrations sometimes fill the entire page and other times spotlight two or more scenes. The illustrations can also move in unique directions across the page, which keeps the reader guessing and looking for what's next. The story itself is simple and sweet in nature as we see the two main characters go from mildly interacting to fused together in their walk outside. VERDICT A spare and wonderful addition to picture book collections.—Katie Llera, Bound Brook Elem. Sch., NJ
2021-03-02
The maxim that cats and dogs get along like…well, cats and dogs, is upended.
The unseen guardian of a cat and dog awakens the pets cheerfully, asks how they slept, offers breakfast, invites them to clean up and play together, then suggests they frolic outside. To every comment, the canine responds affirmatively; the feline—quite the opposite. For example, does it want food? Answer: “I already ate.” Will it help clean? The haughty response: “Never.” Backyard merriment doesn’t go well, as the dog attacks the clothesline and digs holes, and the cat climbs a tree. Finally commanded to play together farther from home, the duo are depicted wordlessly marveling at nature in engaging, colorful panoramic spreads. Eventually, they have a grand time—and the tables get turned. When the owner finally summons the pair home, the cat willingly complies. However, the pooch, now the naysaying contrarian, only reluctantly accedes to its human’s ideas, expressing sorrow the great day is over. A calming, reassuring reminder to the dog at the conclusion sets things right, and, in a comic twist, the animals’ customary natures are restored. This sweet, gentle story reminds youngsters that yes and no have their proper places and times and that all good things don’t necessarily end. The deceptively simply drawn, definitively lined ink-and-watercolor illustrations with their limited palette capture the animals’ lively personalities well; ample white space focuses attention on their activities. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 85.9% of actual size.)
Children will say, “Yes!” to this delightful charmer. (Picture book. 3-6)
