Nat the Cat Takes a Nap
(Ready to Read: Pre-Level One)

Author

Jarrett Lerner

Illustrator

Jarrett Lerner

Publication Date

January 17, 2023

Genre / Grade Band

Fiction / K − 1^st

Language

English

Format

Picture Book

Nat the Cat Takes a Nap (Ready to Read: Pre-Level One)

Paperback

Hardcover

Description

From Jarrett Lerner, the powerhouse creator behind the EngiNerds, Geeger the Robot, and Hunger Heroes series, comes a hilarious new Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about a grumpy cat and a long-suffering narrator! Nat the Cat is taking a nap. Or he would be...if only the narrator would stop interrupting his sleep! This witty story, where Nat's words keep getting turned upside down and inside out, is sure to make readers laugh out loud.

Publication date

January 17, 2023

Genre

Fiction

ISBN-13

9781665918916

Lexile Measure

210

Guided Reading Level

Publisher

Simon Spotlight

Series

Ready to Read: Pre-Level One

BISAC categories

Library of Congress categories

Fiction
Cats
Picture books
Naps (Sleep)
Readers (Publications)
Rats

Kirkus

Don’t sleep on this laugh-out-loud title for the newest readers.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2--Nat the Cat is taking a nap--until he is interrupted by the narrator. Now, Nat is trying to take a nap, but his best efforts are fruitless when the narrator keeps waking him up. The narrator introduces Nat's brother, Pat the Rat, whom Nat insists is not really his brother. Nat's frustration with the narrator and Pat boil over until he exclaims, "I just want to take a nap! Please, just let me take a nap!" Upon hearing this, Pat decides that a nap is a great idea, and both Nat and Pat end the book snoozing. This is a simple, engaging book that will delight emerging readers. Cartoon-style illustrations will grab readers' attention (and make for excellent directed drawings). Plain white backgrounds will help keep kids focused on building their reading skills and understanding the story. Young readers will also laugh at Nat's arguments with the narrator and pick up on the contrast between Nat's emotions in the illustrations and his insistence that he is not mad. Repetitive text, short sentences, and sight words will help ensure that readers build confidence as they move through the story. VERDICT A solid addition to any early reader collection that will surely help young readers grow.--Kristin Brynsvold

Jarrett Lerner

Author-illustrator Jarrett Lerner is the award-winning creator of the EngiNerds series of Middle Grade novels, the Geeger the Robot series of early chapter books, the activity books Give This Book a Title and Give This Book a Cover, The Hunger Heroes series of graphic novel chapter books, the Nat the Cat series of early readers (the first of which was named an ALSC/ALA 2024 Notable Book), the Scare School Diaries series of highly illustrated chapter books, and the My Mad Scientist Mom series of illustrated chapter books. Jarrett is also the creator of the illustrated novel in verse A Work in Progress, which received multiple starred reviews, was a Kids’ Indie Next List pick, and was selected for the 2023 Global Read Aloud. The book also appeared on the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2023 list, the Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best 2023 list, and was named an Audible Best Book of 2023. The book has also, more recently, been nominated for several 2024 state awards and was given a 2024 Notable Children’s Book Award by NCTE’s Children’s Literature Assembly. All of Jarrett’s books are published by Simon & Schuster. In addition to writing, drawing, and visiting schools and libraries across the country, Jarrett co-founded and co-organizes the KidsNeedBooks and KidsNeedMentors projects, and regularly spearheads fundraisers for various reading- and book-related causes. He is also the founder and operator of Jarrett Lerner’s Creator Club. He can be found at jarrettlerner.com and on Twitter and Instagram at @Jarrett_Lerner. He lives with his wife and daughters in Massachusetts.