I have always believed, that both NO and YES are two very powerful tools that we can use in our arsenal as we navigate through life. No is a Good Word by Bharati Singh, (illustrated by Urvashi Dubey and published by Daffodil Books) focuses on the NO that we often fail to emphasise on.
Teaching children how to say “no” is crucial for their personal development and well-being. By empowering children with the ability to say no, we equip them with essential life skills. It helps them to establish boundaries, assert their independence, and make confident decisions. Teaching children how to say no enables them to develop self-respect, build healthy relationships, and protect themselves from potential harm. It fosters their communication skills, self-confidence, and resilience. Ultimately, teaching children how to say no empowers them to navigate the world with confidence and assertiveness.
But let’s take an honest call….do we often tend to say yes even when we want to say NO just because we’re scared of upsetting someone? And worse, do we pass on that attitude to our children? The book gently explores a young girls’ encounter with NO…and how she learns to say no.
No is a Good Word points out the common instances where the protagonist is not comfortable saying no, and yet, going against her own feelings makes her uncomfortable. She is caught in this dilemma, until it is resolved. The story gently tackles how saying NO is crucial in seemingly harmless daily events (such as sharing your crayons with a friend in your class) or in instances which could assume more serious proportions (such as a stranger trying to entice one, quite aptly portrayed through the illustration of Red riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf). More importantly, the book shows that saying no does not mean that you are a bad person.
With light hearted humour, No is a Good Word by Bharati Singh delivers a special punch!
