When out and about one day, Jo is faced with something in their way.

After trying to figure out what it actually is, they try to push it out of the way. This thing won’t go. It is Jo’s No.

Dodging it doesn’t work. Climbing it doesn’t work either.

The longer Jo’s No stays in front of them, the bigger it grows. Jo’s No is going nowhere.

After a while, the No is part of Jo – Giving shelter, and safety. Or does it? Jo decides if they are going to do anything of the things they have dreamed of, they will have to take the No too.

The braver Jo gets, the smaller the No becomes – until Jo realises what the No really is….

Nothing.

This beautifully illustrated hardback picture book portrays a wee bird creature named Jo overcoming adversity gradually but with positivity and persistence. The No is a block or an obstacle that prevents Jo from doing all they dream of, just as we all have our personal No’s. 

A No may be an outside No, from people telling you that you can’t do something.

A No may come from within, insisting you aren’t good enough, strong enough, clever enough or brave enough to do something.

But No’s are essentially nothing. A word spent in anger, envy, or coming from someone else’s inner No’s.

JO and the No is a simple but clever tale about taking control, being brave, facing fears and finding your personal path.

Author – Kyle Mewburn

Illustrator – Judy Watson

Picture Book

(2025, Dirt Lane Press, West Words, NZ Author, Resilience, Building Self Confidence, Breaking down Barriers, Keep Going, Something New, Something Different, Overcoming, Problem, Adversity)