Noni Is Nervous

by Heather Hartt-Sussman, Geneviève Côté (Illustrator)

Overview

A unique hardcover picture book for two to five year olds, this is the story of a lovely little girl who is nervous about many things. Noni finds a way to control her nerves and work through her anxiety, making life much more bearable for everyone!

Noni is nervous about playdates, and global warming, and most of all, about the first day of school. Her parents are worried too, and even her brother is a little wary. But Noni finds a friend, someone a little more outgoing than herself, and discovers that through friendship, she can belong and succeed in a world that once filled her with dread. The story is a universal one about the power of friendship and belonging, delightfully illlustrated by award-winning illustrator Genevieve Cote.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770493230
Publisher:	Tundra
Publication date:	07/09/2013
Series:	Noni
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,036,391
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Heather Hartt-Sussman was born in Montreal, graduated from Brandeis University and attended the Sorbonne. She has been a copywriter for BCP in Montreal, a reporter for the Hollywood Reporter, editor-in-chief of international news for TV Guide in French Canada, columnist of the popular "Heather Hartt in Hollywood," and host of E! Entertainment Television's The Gossip Show. Heather Hartt-Sussman lives in Toronto with her husband, sons Scotty and Jack, and the family dog.

Editorial Reviews

. . . In Côté’s charmingly loose crayon-and-watercolor illustrations, Noni’s anxiety shows in her pink-cheeked face as she thinks about everything that could go wrong.”
—The New York Times

“Côté’s gentle watercolors capture Noni’s emotional experience…. Softly lavender, monochrome illustrations depict Noni’s previous reasons for being nervous, all made right in her mother’s arms…. A charming, seemingly simple book that gets right to the heart of the matter.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“The text is clarity itself, while Coté’s rough, splotchy watercolors elicit plenty of emotion from a minimum of strokes. For fearful first-timers, this strikes just the right note of reassurance.”  
—Booklist

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 2— In this companion to Noni Says No (Tundra, 2011), the child is nervous about lots of things, big and small, but she is particularly anxious about her first day of school. Biting her nails, twirling her hair, and talking nonstop might help a bit, but they annoy her family. There is much to worry about. What will she wear, where will she sit, and what if the teacher is a (real) monster? Even after she meets her teacher, Noni bites her nails and talks nonstop to her neighbor, trying to calm her nerves. That evening, Mama suggests that making a friend might help. So, the next day, Noni introduces herself to Briar, the girl sitting next to her on the bus. Briar introduces her to the other children. Even though that goes well, she is still worried. She could get lost at school, spill her juice all over herself, or have an accident. But, as it turns out, "Noni has a fine time" at school, playing with her new friends. That evening she announces to her family (who have been apprehensive for her) that "School was great!… I really don't know what you are all so nervous about!" The illustrations are done with charcoal-like lines, filled in with inks. They are childlike in their presentation and work well with the story. A fine addition to the collection of books addressing the fears and anxieties about going to school.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

School Library Journal

From the creators of Noni Says No (2011) comes a book about getting through the first day of school and facing one's fears. Noni has a lot to be nervous about, including her nemesis from the previous book, Susie. The challenges of planning what to wear to school, figuring out where to sit and imagining what her teacher will be like have her biting her nails and chattering nervously. Côté's gentle watercolors capture Noni's emotional experience, from the cover art that depicts the small figure of Noni surrounded by warning yellow with stoplight red letters looming over her to the image of an underwear-clad Noni among a sea of empty desks leaning menacingly toward her. Softly lavender, monochrome illustrations depict Noni's previous reasons for being nervous, all made right in her mother's arms. In the end, it doesn't take too long for Noni to feel like she fits in. An outgoing girl named Briar takes Noni under her wing. At this point, Noni's family is a nervous wreck wondering how she's doing, but it's a calm, competent Noni that they find at the end of the day. A charming, seemingly simple book that gets right to the heart of the matter. (Picture book. 4­–7)

Kirkus Reviews