Greetings from London! On the first day of my visit, I stopped by Hatchard’s Book Shop and met a lovely salesperson who recommended today’s Perfect Picture Book.
Title: Bear’s Nap
Written & Illustrated By: Emily Gravett
Publisher/Date: TwoHoots, an imprint of Pan Macmillan/2025
Suitable for Ages: 3-7
Themes/Topics: bedtime, noise, animals, rhyming, humor
Opening:
Bear had settled down for a nice long sleep
And was just drifting off, when he heard a…
CHEEP! CHEEP-CHEEP, CHEEP-CHEEP, CHEEP-CHEEP, CHEEP-CHEEP
Brief Synopsis: A tired bear journeys to discover the source of the noise that keeps him awake.
Links to Resources:
· What are your favorite bedtime routines?
· What do you do when you can’t sleep?
· Can you bray like a donkey, yip like a fox or caw like a crow? Try making the animal sounds found throughout this book. With a sibling or friend, take turns making these sounds and see if they can guess the animal that makes it.
Why I Like this Book:
Bedtime books are perennial favorites for a reason – it’s a perfect time to snuggle up and read, as Bear shows us in the first spread. And books in which the reader is in on a secret are popular, too. Pair these, and you have a terrific new bedtime book that kids will want to read again and again.
Rhyming text propels the reader and the Bear forward, as we journey to discover the source of the annoying noise. But not surprisingly, when Bear finally discovers who’s cheeping, and scares it away, he also discovers that he can’t sleep because it’s too quiet. Maybe a cheery cheep from a friend is all that he needs to sleep after all.
Gravatt’s blue-backgrounded illustrations featuring animated animals include loads of details for kids to find.
Filled with many familiar forest and farm friends, Bear’s Nap is sure to be a hit in homes everywhere.
A Note about Craft:
Another rhyming bedtime book? It may be a crowded market, but well-written and with a twist at the end, Bear’s Nap will become a favorite bedtime read.
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 