THE FLUFFY FUTON

In this Japanese import, a comfortable mattress provides a motley crew with a satisfying nap.

A formidable grandma, in a blue apron and green cardigan, hair tied up in a practical bun, lays a futon out to dry in the sun. The sliding doors of her traditional Japanese home are open to let air and light in; a tatami-style room can be seen in the background, and sandals sit on a rock beside the porch. Animals lurk quietly in the corners of a page; a curly tail, a pair of yellow claws, and curved horns can be spotted. Soon after Grandma has set the futon down, a cat ambles in, lets out a huge yawn (“Yw-aahhn”), and falls asleep. Grandma sees the cozy kitty and follows suit; with a yawn and a “ploff!” she’s snoozing, too. The foreshadowed menagerie slowly appears: a hen and her chicks, a dog, a little boy, a goat, a pig with piglets in tow. Soon a futon sized for one sleeper is filled with the snores of six different species. Grandma rolls over, stretching her arms, and the creatures disperse. It’s nearly impossible to read this book without yawning; it recalls Audrey and Don Wood’s The Napping House (1984), though with a far more sedate finale. Kasano’s mood-perfect illustrations are a delight, in calm, organic hues with a slightly simplified illustration style that loosely echoes woodblock prints.

A charming story with subtly fantastic illustrations.