7-year old Gwen wakes up grumpy and says “NO!” to everything.  Actually, the 9-foot-tall “NO-MONSTER” looming beside her says NO to everything.

[Note on text: Because so much of the story is told in the images, I’ve included notes on possible illustrations in italics.]

UH, OH! SHE’S GOT A NO!

Today Gwen woke up with a thing in her BED …

A thing that fills every grown-up with DREAD…

[In DARKENED BEDROOM: Gwen blinking … behind her, HUGE shape puffing up the covers]

UH, OH!

SHE’S GOT A NO!

[In Lighted BEDROOM: Mom & Dad peeking in, scared looks on their faces. On bed, Gwen sitting with arms crossed … Monster behind her, arms crossed, baring its sharp, shiny fangs.]

The No is BIG,

The NO is STRONG,

… and the NO hardly EVER gets ALONG.

[The NO by itself, in a color background, looking mean]

Put on your dress …

NO!

[In Her lighted BEDROOM: The NO-Monster RIPS Gwen’s dress]

Brush your hair …

NO!

[In the BATHROOM: No-Monster EATS Gwen’s hair brush; we see Gwen wearing her dress from the page before – it’s not torn – but maybe a little rumpled.]

Eat your eggs …

NO!

[In the KITCHEN: The No-Monster CHUCKS her eggs]

At home it’s bad,

But at school it’s WORST

‘Cause a NO at school makes your teacher BURST …

[On the STREET: Mom and Dad fretting on the curb. Gwen and Monster on the bus, a wicked look in their eyes]

UH, OH!

She’s brought a NO!

[In CLASSROOM: Gwen with the NO behind her back, licking his lips, facing down the class: The teacher and her classmates huddle against the far wall, looking scared.]

Pick up your books …

NO!

[At the LIBRARY DESK: The No-MONSTER rips hundreds of pages from a book, in a whirlwind, Tasmanian Devil style]

Put away your crayons …

NO!

[At her DESK: The Monster’s huge GAPING MAW has a hundred crayons stuffed in; by her desk, we see her book from the page before is a just a little bent]

Wash your hands …

NO!

[At the SINK: The No-MONSTER clutches six different soap bottles and SQUIRTS it everywhere]

Yes the NO Breaks Stuff

The NO Makes Rubble,

But Sometimes, it’s true, the NO stops TROUBLE

Let’s get Tommy …

NO!

[On PLAYGROUND: Gwen guards Tommy against three bigger kids, her fists up. The NO-Monster’s got her back: he’s holding a BAZOOKA or a BROAD SWORD or some ridiculous weapon.]

You can’t read this book

NO!

[Gwen swipes a banned book, like Huck Finn or Harry Potter; The NO-Monster perches on her shoulder, its eyes wide, hands over its mouth …]

You can’t play football!

NO!

[At the FOOTBALL FIELD: The boy with the football holds it away, Gwen stands defiant, MONSTER snatches ball, or gets down in the dirt in starting-tackling formation]

Way to GO!

She’s Got a NO!

[At FOOTBALL FIELD: a bunch of girls and some boys cheer Gwen on as she runs with the football, the NO-monster blocking for her]

So the NO makes you bold,

Yes the NO makes you strong

But sometimes, it’s true, the NO can be WRONG

Want to mix this together?

NO

[At the LAB-TABLE: Teacher in lab goggles and white coat mixes chemicals. Gwen in the corner, frowning, but with sad look on her face. The NO-Monster, a little smaller and tamer-looking,tries to get her attention by drinking a bubbling green liquid, but she ignores him.]

Want to eat a snack?

No

[At DESKS: Kids happily munching on apples and cheese; Gwen sits alone under a table. Dark. The Monster, smaller now but still comically big underneath a child’s desk, eats a crumb of cheese off the floor, and offers Gwen a piece; she ignores it.]

Want to hear a story?

no

[At STORY-CIRCLE: Kids huddled around, gape-mouthed, a little scared, as teacher in a witch hat  reads a scary story. Gwen hides behind a desk, peeking at story. Monster much smaller now, lazily ripping up the page of a book, bored look on its face]

Uh, oh …

I’ve got a NO …

[By herself: Gwen looks sadly at monster, he looks sadly at her … No-Monster’s shoulders hunched, he looks sheepish – he’s a little big, dumb, and foolish now]

But your NO can change,

Yes your NO can grow

If it’s right, it’s a sight, when your NO starts to GLOW

[At the Classroom STAGE: Kids dressed up in costumes. Set apart is a cloak and a staff, just waiting for the right person …]

[Monster on one knee, holds hands with Gwen, they share a look …

… Monster and Gwen hug]

YES!

[ON the STAGE: Gwen in center, clutching the staff, wearing the robe and hat, raises her arms in triumph, gigantic smile on her face. The No-MONSTER is now transformed. Swirling rainbow colors around it, maybe wings. He claps in the audience, tear in his eye, as he shouts “YES”]

The END