Thursday, January 2, 2020

Review - William's Winter Nap

William's Winter Nap (William #1)
by Linda Ashman
illustrated by Chuck Groenink
Date: 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Just when William is ready to fall asleep in his cozy cabin, there is a tap on his window. A chilly chipmunk asks to stay, and Will scooches over in bed. "There's room for two--I'm sure we'll fit." The chipmunk is just the first in a parade of mammals, each bigger than the last, until the bed is full. Then a note is slipped beneath the door: "Do you have room for just one more?" William tugs the door to see who's there... only to find a great big BEAR! Is there enough space to spare? Will the other animals be willing to share?

Kids will delight at each new guest's arrival and enjoy counting along as the animals keep scooching over to fit in William's bed. Linda Ashman's clever rhymes set up each page turn with suspense and humor, and the expressions on Chuck Groenink's characters are perfect. This is must reading for the dark time of year when everyone wants to hibernate!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

William's Winter Nap is really adorable. A little boy is getting ready to go to bed, but he keeps getting interrupted by various woodland creatures who are searching for a way to get out of the cold. There's always room for one more... until a bear shows up and wants to share the space. Will the other animals make room? Or will the poor bear be stuck out in the cold?

The rhyming text is some of the best I've seen (the meter is close to perfect) and the way the text is displayed on the page highlights the onomatopoeia of the animals' attempts to gain entry to the house. The illustrations are sweet, with a bluish tint that makes everything look sleepy and nocturnal.

This is a fun little story about compassion, kindness... and counting. It would be a fun bedtime read.

Quotable moment:


Premise: 4/5
Meter: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.43 out of 5

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