No More Naps! A Story for When You're Wide-Awake And Definitely NOT Tired. Chris Grabenstein. Illustrated by Leo Espinosa. 2020. Random House. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: Annalise Devin McFleece did not want to take a nap. She would fuss. She would fume. She would scream. She would shriek. But she would not ever--no, NEVER--take a nap. (Do you know anyone like that?)
Premise/plot: Annalise Devin McFleece stars in this oh-so-relatable picture book. It's a good example of what you see is what you get. When a book is titled NO MORE NAPS! parents know exactly what to expect. The cover pictures a defiant, cranky red-haired baby who looks ready to put up a fight. Nap time will not be easy today! No, today it will be an ordeal of sorts. A trial perhaps that all parents must undergo at some point.
The narrative is complex. This one is quite text-heavy.
My thoughts: I loved this one. What I loved most about the book were the illustrations. They are perfectly perfectly perfect at capturing the emotions and tension. So much of the story can be communicated without the text just by reading the expressions on the faces of the parents, the baby, and the community! The narrative is complex--as I mentioned earlier--and perhaps a little bit too wordy. But it was still a delight--mostly. Not as magical as Janet Wong's Grump. Not as magical as Finn Throws a Fit. Not as magical as Lauren Child's I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go To Bed. But still a fun treat.
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10
© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers
1 comment:
No more naps is probably far TOO relatable :-)
Thankfully we're past the stage of needing to put our kids for naps. Though even as YA it'd be nice if they figured out when one was needed...
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