NAPTASTROPHE!

A little bunny proves she doesn’t always know best when it comes to naptime.

Lucy refuses to nap during the day. Why would she? It’s light outside, and she’s missing time to play with her toys. In fact, they just might be having a dance party without her. She staunchly declares, “I’m not tired!” After remaining awake through naptime, she and her dad take a trip to the grocery store. At every turn (even on a banana phone in the produce aisle) Lucy never misses a chance to remind her dad, “Not tired.” But her face and actions testify otherwise. Poor Lucy fights yawns and drooping lids while struggling to stay alert. In the checkout line, when her request for candy is denied, she can’t take it anymore. Fists clench, knees shake, and rage radiates—it’s a naptastrophe! Krosoczka’s reds, oranges, and yellows pulsate with the heat of the tantrum. Her daddy, with Lucy’s foot in his face as he scoops her up in an effort to leave as quickly as possible, is a picture of pure parental resignation—and Lucy’s faceplant in her mac and cheese at dinnertime will elicit chuckles. For all its artfulness, however, it’s still a pretty familiar tale.

The only truly distinctive twist on this oft-told tale is the title, but humorously naming a meltdown just may make it palatable enough (for parent and child alike).