Natthe Cat Takes a Nap:Ready-to-Read by author/illustrator Jarrett Lerner.

Natthe Cat is built on a simple, but clever premise. He wants to take a nap, buthis efforts are consistently thwarted by a narrator who interrupts to describeNat’s actions as portrayed in the illustrations. The resulting confusionprovides plenty of silly fun that will have youngsters laughing.

PoorNat grows more and more grumpy as he struggles to cat-nap and fails to get morethan a few ZZ’s before he’s awakened, again! As if the incessant chatter isn’tenough, the narrator further complicates matters by misinterpreting Nat’sremarks. When Nat exclaims, “Oh brother!” after being awakened yet again, thenarrator confidently concludes, “Nat is calling for his brother,” sending thestory spinning in a new direction that ultimately leads to a satisfyingresolution.

Withbeginning readers in mind, Lerner employs short, three-to-five-word sentencesand basic, repetitive vocabulary. The simple, action-packed illustrations pairedwith strong facial expressions, provide plenty of visual clues to aid inunderstanding.

Three-to five-year-olds will enjoy the story and build confidence at the same time.