NO NAP! YES NAP!

A lively, not-ready-for-bed tale featuring one patient mama and her exuberant tyke.

It’s naptime, and Baby is off and running. Familiar stalling tactics abound as clapping turns to singing, a request for milk becomes one very long drink, and chase turns to hide-and-seek. But Mama skillfully corrals Baby with a book, and cuddled together, they fall asleep. Digitally colored illustrations, done in a cool palette, capture the toddler’s energy and charm. At first glance, the stylized characters and graphic shapes appear simple, but Yaccarino’s careful use of pattern and color is skillfully designed to help readers identify characters, objects and space. Similarly, the simple, short text is playfully composed to emphasize its delivery. With no dialogue tags and just changes in italicization to distinguish Mama’s dialogue from Baby’s, it will have young listeners chanting along by the second read: “Good Baby. Now Baby nap. / NO NAP. Clap! Clap! Clap! // NO NAP. Sing song. Sing a long song. Long, long song. Sing! Sing! Sing! / Tra-la-la.”

It’s so high-spirited it isn’t likely to send any like-minded tots to sleep, but who cares when it’s so much fun? (Picture book. 1-3)