The Rabbit Who Couldn't Say No

Marcus the rabbit cannot say 'no', and though this has its positive side, it can also be a nuisance, leading him into mischief. Apparently as a result, his ears grow longer and longer. At last he succeeds in asserting himself and his ears return to normal. This book tries to give an overly sophisticated, multi-layered message to children too young to interpret it. All children say 'no', after all - rather oftener than one would prefer usually - and while it is important for children to know when 'no' must be said, the didactic approach employed here seems misplaced, and the analogies inaccessible to young children. In addition, the suggestion that one should say 'no' to mischief seems overly optimistic, and smacks of social control rather than protection from true danger.