Caregivers, back us up: naptime is a sacred time. Not only are daytime naps essential to the developing minds and bodies of children from birth to age 5, but they are also a critical time for caregivers to take a break from the exhausting full-time work of caring for an infant or toddler. However, as most know, naptime is not always a welcome suggestion to the little ones themselves. To help alleviate that reluctance, we’ve gathered five picture books all about naptime that can help convince kiddos that it never hurts to catch a few winks.
But First, We Nap: A Little Book About Nap Time by David Miles
This adorable board book starts with an offer from Rabbit: “Let’s play!” he implores his sloth friend, who readily agrees … after they’ve taken a nice nap. Rabbit is in no mood to delay, however, and tries to wake his friend up in all manner of ways: thumping drums, tooting horns, crashing cymbals, and even popping a whole wheelbarrow of balloons. Yet nothing works, and Rabbit is feeling pretty exhausted from all the activity. “Let’s play?” Sloth offers sleepily, and Rabbit agrees — but first, he’d like to take a little nap, too. Simple in story, amusing in tone, and cleverly soothing in color palette and artwork, this makes a perfectly short read to establish a naptime routine for little bookworms.
You Are Not Sleepy! by Mark Teague
Hey, sometimes falling asleep for a nap can be tough, much like it is for the little pig at the center of this lighthearted tale. Maybe the room is too bright, so you pull down the window shade, but that makes the room too dark! Switching on a flashlight only attracts moths, and opening the window to let the moths out only lets the very loud birdsong inside! Going through a litany of inconveniences, each more preposterous than the last, the little pig finally finds a way to take charge of the situation and create a peaceful space for naptime. The silly story is a great way to get the giggles out before cozying in and also assures that even if sleep doesn’t come right away, that doesn’t mean little nappers shouldn’t keep trying until they nod off at last.
No More Naps!: A Story for When You’re Wide-Awake and Definitely NOT Tired by Chris Grabenstein, Illustrated by Leo Espinosa
Toddler Annalise Devin McFleece has no, nada, absolutely zero desire to take a nap, ever. In a desperate bid to lull the little one to dreamland, her dad takes her for a walk in the stroller. As she continues to protest her nap, the people of their town overhear her refusals and disagree, deciding that taking a nap sounds like a lovely idea. One by one, each of the townfolk — from dog walker to skateboarder to construction worker — lies down right where they are and falls asleep. Now Annalise is upset for another reason: seeing everyone’s sleepy yawns, she’s starting to feel drowsy herself, but everyone else has taken her nap! This is a cheeky, well-paced tale with a delightfully satisfying ending that may just convince toddlers like Annalise to take their naps while they can.
I Will Take A Nap! by Mo Willems
Gerald the elephant is feeling tired and cranky, and he recognizes that those are the signals that he needs a nap. However, when he gets all cozy with his blanket and stuffy (Willems fans will appreciate the cameo), his pal Piggie bursts onto the scene with her usual exuberance. With Gerald’s crankiness unabated — and becoming contagious — Piggie declares that she will take a nap as well and proceeds to keep poor Gerald awake with cacophonous snores. As with all the Elephant & Piggie stories, this one is a bit more of a rollicking good time than it is a bid for sleep, but it does do a great job exploring how worn out, irritable, and upset missing out on a much-needed nap can be.
Bear Is Not Tired by Ciara Gavin
A sequel to the charming Room for Bear, this story opens with the incredibly endearing Bear and his adoptive duck family fully settled into their home. Bear and the Ducks are a family filled with love and joy, and all of them relish each day spent together. However, with winter approaching, Bear feels the pull to hibernate, growing sleepier and sleepier as the days go by. Worried that he will miss his family when he is asleep, he tries his best to stay awake, but to no avail. Before he drifts off, Mama Duck assures him that she will ensure his presence is still valued as he gets the rest that his body needs. As the root of many children’s reluctance to nap is a fear of missing out, this story makes for a great metaphor while offering a perfectly reassuring and heartwarming ending.
We hope that you and your little ones enjoy these naptime books and that they help smooth the transition from pre-nap fussing into slumber. Happy reading, and sweet dreams!
For more of our favorite kid picks that promote healthy habits, check out our article about Children’s Books on How To Make Healthy Food Choices.
To see all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
