Amari and the Power of No

What does “no” really mean?

For three-year-old Amari, hearing NO can bring some very BIG feelings.

Sometimes “no” means not right now. Sometimes it means that isn’t safe. Sometimes it is another person protecting a boundary. And sometimes Amari himself gets to say NO.

In Amari and the Power of No, young readers follow Amari through everyday experiences at home, at school, with friends, and throughout his community as he begins to understand that a boundary does not take away his voice.

With support from his family, teachers, elders, and village, Amari learns how to pause, breathe, ask questions, express disappointment, make another choice, seek help from a trusted grown-up, and recognize that his own boundaries matter too.

Created especially with Black children and families at the center, this culturally affirming OURSTORY Classroom book opens age-appropriate conversations about big feelings, safety, consent, bodily autonomy, peer pressure, trusted adults, boundaries, and using your voice.

Perfect for preschool and Pre-K children ages 3–5, families, early-childhood classrooms, childcare programs, homeschool settings, counselors, doulas, and other adults who support young children.

The book also includes interactive learning and reflection pages that help children practice boundary language, identify trusted grown-ups, build emotional vocabulary, and think about what they learned alongside Amari.

Written by: Angela Denise Malaika Adjoa Hodison Malele

Illustrated by: ATAI wa Ngai (Amani The Ancestral Intelligence)

Published by: OURSTORY PUBLISHING — A TimBOOKtu Enterprises Company

© 2026

Little People. BIG Growth. Our children. Our stories. Our voice.