Never, Not Ever!

by Beatrice Alemagna

Never, Not Ever!  is the instant classic from Beatrice Alemagna—a laugh-out-loud tribute to little kids everywhere who would prefer  not  to leave home on the first day of school.

The other animals are marching dutifully to school, but Pascaline could care less. “Never, not ever!” she declares. She’s NOT going. And nothing—not even her parents pulling her by her feet—will change her mind.

She shrieks so loudly that her parents shrink down to the size of peanuts—becoming just the right size to fit snugly under Pascaline’s wing. Now they can all go to school together!

In Never, Not Ever! award-winning picture book creator Beatrice Alemagna reminds us that small children need their parents to be close by . . . but not too close.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, School, Humor, Animals, Family, Back To School

48 pages, Hardcover

First published July 13, 2021

About the author

Beatrice Alemagna was born in Bologna, Italy in 1973. She graduated from the Istituto Superiore for industrial arts in Urbino, Italy. She has won numerous international awards for her illustration. She now lives in Paris, France, where she works as an author and illustrator as well as a designer of childrens books, posters and collages.

Reviews

[Izabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrationerna var höjdpunkten i den här boken. Storyn var väl inte superinspirerande.

Boken handlar om Pascaline som ska börja i fladdermusskolan. Men det vill hon absolut INTE! Aldrig i livet! Hon skriker så högt åt mamma och pappa att de krymper till två små minifladdermöss. Nu kan Pasvaline bära med sig föräldrarna till skolan.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an okayish worried about going to school book. I found the art really distracting. I spent a lot of the book trying to figure out what creature it was, since the wings aren't bat shaped and she's described as having furry wings and bat's don't. So with that and daylight I thought it was a funny looking moth until the school said little bat school. An had trouble getting my brain to check back in.

(Don't growing bats need their sleep? Shouldn't it be a night school then?)

[Michal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pokud máte taky rádi obrázkové knížky, Beatrice Alemagna by vám neměla uniknout. Netopýrku Paskalínu si nejde nezamilovat, zvlášť když jste k podobným scénám, jaké předvádí, sami měli jako děti blízko (promiň, mami).

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so much more than a back to school themed book. Beatrice Alemagna is one of the greatest international illustrators of our day. Never, Not Ever! is child-friendly, hilarious and absolutely stunning. A must have!

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit too artsy and weird to fit the bill as a conventional "first day jitters" book, but I liked that. I enjoyed how her parents shrink down and she carries them to school with her, but then realizes how annoying it is having to carry your parents around with you everywhere. Beatrice Alemagna has really carved a quirky little niche for herself in the world of children's books.

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tre stjärnor för illustrationerna.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 The illustrations and story grew on me.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Alemagna so much. In this one I particularly appreciated how dynamic the pictures were, they nearly vibrated off the page with energy.

[Zuzka-knižníček · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roztomilý příběh pro nejmenší děti o nástupu malé netopýřice Paskalíny do školky. Je to takové usměvné jak si netopýřice bere do školky rodiče, ve zmenšené podobě, a jak tam spolu zažívají průběh celého dne ve školce. Graficky je knížka taková neutrální, úplně na zadek si z obrázků nesedám, ale zároveň jsou takové poutavé svým specifickým způsobem. Knížku doporučit můžu, dětem se bude určitě líbit.

[Tiffany (OomilyReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never, Not Ever! written & illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna

Pascaline is a little 5 year old bat that refuses to go to her first day of school. Instead, she shrieked so loud her parents shrunk down to the size of peanuts and she thought it would be great to bring them to school with her. The story becomes hilarious and cute as we follow Pascaline and her parents to school.

The illustrations are beautiful!!! What a talent, author-illustrator Alemagna has. The dark with light colors and unique style is brillant.

I caught myself smiling the entire time I read this adorable cute picture book to my children. I remember my little ones crying on their first day of school and grabbing hold of my legs. I had to sneak out quickly when I dropped them off otherwise it would become dramatic! This book is perfect for little ones who are getting ready to go to school this coming year.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pascaline does not want to go to school. “Never, Not Ever!” She yells at her parents so loudly that they shrink up to peanut size. And though they don’t want to go, Pascaline takes them along to school with her. At first, she loves having her parents with her, but eventually they become annoying: singing so loudly they get Pascaline in trouble; Not letting her fly because they’ll get dizzy; and whining about lunch. “Small as these two peanuts are, they feel as if they weigh a ton.”

On the way home, her parents regain their size and when they offer to go to school with Pascaline tomorrow, she replies “Never, Not Ever!”

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a great book to use for the first day of school!

Pascaline is hesitant to go to bat school until her helicopter parents shrink small enough to fit in her pocket and accompany her there. She is happy when the day is over and she can return to school the next day without them.

Nominated for the 2020 Hans Christian Anderson Award, Alemagna has won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award several times. Her artwork, done in gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils are full of whimsy and humor.

There is alot of fun in this one! Recommended for grades PreS,-K.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bat named Pascaline does not want to go to school, no matter how much her parents ask. When she loudly yells, "Never, not ever," her parents shrink so they fit inside her wings. With her parents accompanying her, Pascaline is brave enough to go to school, but her parents distract her, make a mess of her lunch, and keep her awake during naptime. Maybe it's not fun to bring your parents after all? A fun look at what would happen if your grown-up did come to school with you. Another good back-to-school book.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture book. Pascaline the bat is never, not ever going to school. She doesn't care that all of the other animals are off to school, she's not going. After a full dramatic carpet-grabbing resistance, Pascaline is surprised to find her parents magically shrunken to pocket size, where they can accompany her on her first day. But having her parents with her makes nap time harder, lunch time messier, and recess less fun. This Italian picture book is a great addition to the back to school picture book genre.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, but it wasn't a favorite either. Part of that was the illustrations (very odd looking bats, and as a caver, I'm particularly partial to bats). They were cute, and I liked all the colors and textures, but as mentioned, they are kinda odd-looking for bats. The story itself is another take on the separation anxiety of going to school for the first time. Not my go-to for a first day of school storytime, but it is also one that I might pull out as an additional title in the rotation. Always good to have a larger repertoire, right?

[Κόκκινη Αλεπού · Rating 5 out of 5]

Το “Ούτε στο όνειρό σας!” έγινε ένα από τα αγαπημένα μας βιβλία, γιατί με πολύ απλό τρόπο, με πολύ χιούμορ και με μια εικονογράφηση που είναι σαν να σε ρουφάει στις σελίδες του βιβλίου μιλάει για ένα παγκόσμιο θέμα, παρουσιάζει τις αγωνίες παιδιών και γονιών και θίγει το σπουδαίο ζήτημα που λίγες φορές απαντάται στα παιδικά βιβλία: τα παιδιά θέλουν να νιώθουν την ασφάλεια της παρουσία των γονιών τους, έστω για λίγο, στην αρχή. Μετά και όταν κυρίως νιώσουν ασφάλεια, η παρουσία τους δεν είναι πια τόσο απαραίτητη μέσα στο σχολικό περιβάλλον. Αναζητήστε το!

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely my favorite of the Alemagna books I've read today.
This is a cute back to school story. The main character doesn't want to go to school and then her parents end up shrinking so she takes them with her. I thought it was going to be more of a comforting thing but her tiny parents end up annoying her and she learns she wants to go to school without them tomorrow. A little clumsy of a plot but a good message.

[charlene.librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alemagna used gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils to create the illustrations for this book. The drawings on the end pages are precious. Just what you might imagine about a five-year-old. Pascaline is a head-strong young bat who is just about to embark on her first day of little bat school. Her parents have a lot to handle that first day. I do love the texture that the wax pencils provide. Humorous and sweet.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pascaline does not want to go to school. She is determined to stay home and clearly tells her parents this. So clearly that she accidentally shrinks them with her loud voice. Now, she can bring them with her to school. This does not work out as she expected and she discovers how much nicer it would be to go to school without them.
Fun read for families getting ready for first days of school.
Also could be a fun classroom read for lower elementary and preschool classrooms.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, so there's the role reversal, you know, where the main character learns what it's like to be in the antagonist's place. Good theme that I've not seen too often. But then there's the art which is an incomprehensible jumble that makes no sense. (Those are bats? With furry wings? In the daytime? In an exclusive school where frogs and caterpillars are not welcome?) And there's the *extremely* naughty child (if mine had been so loudly defiant I certainly would not have shrunk!).

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful story about a little girl who does not want to go to school "Never, not ever!". She mysteriously shrinks her parents when she shouts at them, but is able to bring them to school with her the first day of school. She finds them exasperating once at school, and at the end of the day she wants to return to school -alone!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why are the characters bats? This could have been any kind of animal or person. The main character is rude to her parents and as silly and fun as the concept is, the main character's shift from not wanting to go to school at all ("never, not ever!") to just not wanting to go alone was inconsistent and confusing.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art style is what makes the book because I wasn't as enamored with the story itself. Yes, I get the cranky little kid/bat didn't want to go to school "never, not ever" but it went in a weird direction. I realized after I got to the end that I had read it with a different lens than likely was intended, but I get why others think it's super adorable.

I could take it or leave it.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book about a young bat who doesn't want to go to school. Her screaming accidentally shrinks her parents and she ends up taking them with her to school. There turn out to be downsides to having her parents around.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would LOVE to read this book for family storytime sometime. This story is about a young bat who does not want to go to school "never, not never!" and he parents tag along with her on her first day.

[Biblioteken i Örnsköldsvik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boken handlar om Pascaline som ska börja i fladdermusskolan. Men det vill hon absolut INTE! Aldrig i livet! Hon skriker så högt åt mamma och pappa att de krymper till två små minifladdermöss. Nu kan Pascaline bära med sig föräldrarna till skolan.

[Sabina Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, Pascaline and her silly parents.
Alemagna's art is full of character and life and depth. Her artistry is quite amazing.
The story is sweet and funny and would be a perfect book for those who are afraid of the first day of school (or even a job!).

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the first day of school, and Pascaline has no desire to attend. Not even the forceful attempts by her parents can convince her. But something strange happens, and Pascaline finally goes to school, but her first day isn't what she expected, not at all.

[Anne with Violets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still, Alemagna's paintings are pretty. They capture the heart of a child who is afraid to go to school away from mom and dad. I wish the story could have been written in a more natural way to show the child overcoming her fear of school. But I think kids will like this book.

[Evan Copes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a cute book that would help a child who is nervous about going to school for the first time, seeing the main character shrink her parents and take them with her gave her a sense of calm and she learned it wasn’t as bad as she thought!