Sonny Says No!

June 15, 2023
Sonny faces a tough decision. One beautiful fall day, Sonny, an anthropomorphic red fox whom readers may remember from previous titles, finds some paint in the garden. He begins splashing bright colors on bushes, pumpkins, and a fallen tree as his pal Meemo, a dog, looks on. But when Boo, a yellow rabbit, asks to try, Sonny refuses to share. Honey, a pink bear, arrives with balloons to blow up. Boo, Honey, and Meemo have little luck inflating the balloon. They ask Sonny for help, but he just wants to paint and responds with an angry "NO!" The friends take the hint and retreat to a nearby tent to try again. All alone, Sonny remembers that it's Meemo's birthday and guesses that the friends are setting up the party in the tent. Unfortunately, all they are doing is creating a mess. The big question is will Sonny help his friends with the birthday party preparations? Four pages of comic tension lead to his answer. "YES!" Young listeners will appreciate this simple yet sweet story. OHora's signature illustrations depict adorably squat, bigheaded characters with flat colors and small black dashes to add texture to fur. Little ones will likely see themselves in Sonny--and will hopefully take a page from him as he learns valuable lessons in sharing and caring. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A relatable story about being a good friend that will ring true among young audiences. (Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.