No More Naps!

A nap is a terrible thing to waste. So when a very stubborn pigtailed girl named Annalise Devin McFleece refuses to take one ("NOOOOOO!"), even after her desperate father has taken her on a hopefully soporific stroller ride in the warm sun, a gentleman on a park bench offers, "If she won't take a nap, may I have it please?" Soon, "every single creature in the whole park had decided to take a nap"--even the lamppost pigeons are snoring. But with no one for her to "fuss, fume, scream, or shriek at," Annalise's lids grow heavy until she realizes that there are no naps left for her. Maybe a friendly cat has a nap to spare? It may take a few beats for Grabenstein's (Shine!) idiomatic twist to sink in, but once it does, the idea that naps are opportunities to be eagerly seized is an amusing reframing. Espinosa (Islandborn), whose cheery, gently ironic drawing style may remind readers of Crockett Johnson's, draws outdoor nappers of every stripe--from a bucket drummer snoozing on top of his instruments to a hairstylist and client enjoying 40 winks in the middle of a blow dry. Ages 3-7. (Feb.)

PreS-Gr 1—Most toddlers desperately need a nap but will do anything in their power to avoid one, and Annalise Devin McFleece is no exception. Her parents try to get her to take a nap, but Annalise fusses, fumes, and screams so loud that the entire neighborhood knows that she was NOT napping. Her desperate father decides to take her on a walk through the neighborhood in her stroller. He begs her to nap as he pushes her through the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood, but stubborn Annalise continually says no and keeps her eyes wide open. They run into a man lying on a bench, who asks if he can have Annalise's nap if she doesn't want to take it. Soon, everyone in the neighborhood realizes just how sleepy they feel and everyone begins to fall asleep; the dog walker, the baker, the construction workers, the police officers, even Annalise's father. Everyone is asleep except for Annalise, which, in true toddler fashion, makes her so angry because everyone has something that she doesn't. Annalise exclaims, "I want to take a nap" and finally, she does. Very detailed illustrations paint the picture of an entire community dozing, including a hairstylist asleep while his blow-dryer is on and a waiter fast asleep while still holding a hot bowl of soup. VERDICT Recommended for picture book collections and families with young children who will relate to the very real struggle for naps.—Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY

"Preschoolers will find the defiant protagonist's protests a little bit thrilling and 100% funny.... Screamingly fun." —Kirkus Reviews

"The idea that naps are opportunities to be eagerly seized is an amusing reframing." —Publishers Weekly