Book Review: Dreamy Days and Random Naps by Mawson Bear

Looking for an adorable picture book to read to that one toddler in your life who never wants to take a nap? Well, I have just the book for you…

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

About the Book

Title: Dreamy Days & Random Naps

Author: Mawson Bear, Mark O’Dwyer

Published: 2020

Genre: children’s/picture book

Rating: 4/5

The Premise:

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Mawson Bear awakes and ponders on the art of creative napping. Scotland the Brave imagines doing great deeds. Professors Caddy and Bree hold the highest hopes for their visionary inventions. Samantha sees wondrous things all round her. The Seekers journey all the way to the edge of the world, being sure to return, of course, by bedtime.

Flop down and relax awhile with Mawson and his drowsy friends. Refresh the soul in the tranquility of simple joys and innocent dreams.

My Thoughts

So, first things first: I don’t think I’ve ever previously seen a picture book in which real photographs were used. The format of this book is super creative, and I loved the live-action photos and setups. It really gave a unique flair to the story.

The writing was nice and evoked an atmosphere of, well, of tranquility– rather fitting for a book designed for naptime. It was obviously meant to be read aloud and had a wonderful poetic quality:

“It was like the colours of the wind singing sadly. Or like the sighing of forgotten names still longing to be heard.”

I enjoyed the episodic storytelling– in each part of the book, Mawson would be visited by another one of his friends and a new conflict or situation would be introduced. At some points I was confused by the sudden introduction of a new situation, but it was overall a pleasant reading experience.

There were several clever turns of phrase:

“Our Hope-Maker here makes simple little hopes to help hopeless hopers practice their hoping. We have the highest hopes for it, Mawson.”

and some clever humor that was a great addition to the book. The themes were also interesting (I liked the part about the “wish-back lamp” and the whole “the moment before you dance” idea.)

I also appreciated the calming atmosphere evoked by the book, and my favorite characters were the professors and the whimsical inventions they presented to Mawson.

The Verdict

I enjoyed reading this picture book, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a short & sweet book to read to a child before bed!

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