The Boy of the Three Year Nap

Dianne Snyder’s Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, The Boy of the Three-Year Nap, is a lively adaptation of a Japanese folk tale. Lazy Taro’s love of naps has made him the joke of the village, much to the chagrin of his poor widowed mother, who works hard as a seamstress to make a living. After he spies a rich merchant’s daughter however, Taro concocts a devious plan to become wealthy by disguising himself as a local deity. Acclaimed Japanese-American illustrator Allen Say’s meticulously rendered art, reminiscent of Japanese woodblock prints, comically animates this sprightly tale which is suitable for all ages.