Nat the Cat Takes a Nap: Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1

by Jarrett Lerner, Jarrett Lerner (Illustrator)

Overview

From Jarrett Lerner, the powerhouse creator behind the EngiNerds, Geeger the Robot, and Hunger Heroes series, comes a hilarious new Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about a grumpy cat and a long-suffering narrator!

Nat the Cat is taking a nap. Or he would be...if only the narrator would stop interrupting his sleep! This witty story, where Nat’s words keep getting turned upside down and inside out, is sure to make readers laugh out loud.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665918909
Publisher:	Simon Spotlight
Publication date:	01/17/2023
Series:	Nat the Cat
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	145,072
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	AD210L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Jarrett Lerner is the award-winning creator of more than a dozen books for kids, including the EngiNerds series of middle grade novels, the Geeger the Robot series of early chapter books, the Hunger Heroes series of graphic chapter books, two activity books, the illustrated novel in verse A Work in Progress, and the Nat the Cat series of early readers. You can find him online at JarrettLerner.com and on X (previously known as Twitter) and Instagram at @Jarrett_Lerner. He lives with his wife and daughters in Massachusetts.

Jarrett Lerner is the award-winning creator of more than a dozen books for kids, including the EngiNerds series of middle grade novels, the Geeger the Robot series of early chapter books, the Hunger Heroes series of graphic chapter books, two activity books, the illustrated novel in verse A Work in Progress, and the Nat the Cat series of early readers. You can find him online at JarrettLerner.com and on X (previously known as Twitter) and Instagram at @Jarrett_Lerner. He lives with his wife and daughters in Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

01/27/2023

K-Gr 2—Nat the Cat is taking a nap—until he is interrupted by the narrator. Now, Nat is trying to take a nap, but his best efforts are fruitless when the narrator keeps waking him up. The narrator introduces Nat's brother, Pat the Rat, whom Nat insists is not really his brother. Nat's frustration with the narrator and Pat boil over until he exclaims, "I just want to take a nap! Please, just let me take a nap!" Upon hearing this, Pat decides that a nap is a great idea, and both Nat and Pat end the book snoozing. This is a simple, engaging book that will delight emerging readers. Cartoon-style illustrations will grab readers' attention (and make for excellent directed drawings). Plain white backgrounds will help keep kids focused on building their reading skills and understanding the story. Young readers will also laugh at Nat's arguments with the narrator and pick up on the contrast between Nat's emotions in the illustrations and his insistence that he is not mad. Repetitive text, short sentences, and sight words will help ensure that readers build confidence as they move through the story. VERDICT A solid addition to any early reader collection that will surely help young readers grow.—Kristin Brynsvold

School Library Journal

2023-02-08
Lots of laughs at the expense of a sleepy cat.

Poor Nat the Cat wants to take a nap, but the voice of an offstage narrator keeps him from doing so for most of the story. When readers first meet Nat, the cartoon feline is seen standing with his eyes closed below a speech balloon reading “zzzzzz….” Next, the narrator announces, “This is Nat. Nat is a Cat,” and one of Nat’s closed eyes pops open. When the narrator tells us, “Nat the Cat is taking a nap,” Nat retorts, “No, Nat the Cat WAS taking a nap.” Background details are kept to a minimum, providing rest for the eye and allowing the images to support textual meaning. Meanwhile, subtle font and wording changes combined with slight adjustments to character expressions and placement result in text that reinforces decoding skills through repetition and making the simple, funny narrative accessible to emerging readers. Humor increases when Pat the Rat shows up—not as prey for Nat to chase but as another sleepy character who wants to take a nap, too—and by book’s end, both characters get some needed shut-eye.

Don’t sleep on this laugh-out-loud title for the newest readers. (Early reader. 5-7)

Kirkus Reviews