06/09/2026
BREEZY! The Fluffy Futon by Yuichi Kasano in Publishers Weekly:
Yawning circulates contagiously among characters who encounter a “fluffy futon” in this breezy picture book from Kasano that recalls The Napping House. After Grandma spreads a futon mattress on the front porch for airing, a feline promptly plops itself down with a “Yw-aahhn.” Grandma, who, like the other human character, reads as Japanese, soon follows suit with a big yawn of her own: “Ploff! Down she went too on the fluffy futon.” The pattern continues with onomatopoeic textual echoes as a variety of farm animals, as well as a boy and his dog, experience a similar pull. Eventually, the whole rangy crew are all tangled up on the cushy surface, their snores filling a spread. Employing thick black outlining and spongy coloring, uncluttered illustrations enliven the simple plot with the increasingly complicated co-sleeping arrangement’s Twister-like configurations. When Grandma stretches wide, ejecting her sleepmates, the snooze and story both conclude, bringing this lighthearted soporific to a realistically abrupt close.
