Book Nook: While Grandpa Naps

A moving, funny, elegant meditation on love, childhood, and one's place in a family.

Gilbert spends a sunny summer afternoon obediently keeping watch over his napping grandpa to shoo the pesky flies away. Unsure of exactly how long he's really supposed to sit there, watching for non-existent bugs, he passes time contemplating his ever-changing family: His grandma Sarah recently died, a new baby is on the way, his siblings and cousins race in and out. While the temptations to abandon his post beckon, Gilbert's loyalty to his grandpa stays true, and his quiet dedication finds a sweet reward.
Naomi Danis is the managing editor of Lilith magazine, independent, Jewish & frankly feminist. Her fifth book for young readers, While Grandpa Naps, is inspired by a true family story. She finds hope in small acts of kindness, especially by children, that often go unnoticed in our busy world. Like her previous, I Hate Everyone, only quieter, While Grandpa Naps explores the sometimes surprising experience of love. She lives in Forest Hills, New York.

Junghwa Park is a happy and whimsical illustrator based in Jersey City, New Jersey. With the dream of becoming an artist, she immigrated to America when she was 17. She graduated with a BFA in Illustration from School of Visual Arts in 2014. Her illustration is inspired by her home in South Korea, with its nature, family farms, crafts, and organic way of life. She has illustrated for various clients, including Pottery Barn, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. Her life’s mission is to share her happiness with the world, which she loves doing through her art and crafts.