What Wonders Do You See… When You Dream?
What Wonders Do You See… When You Dream? is a children’s picture book written by Justine Avery and illustrated by Liuba Syrotiuk. What if kids didn’t groan when it was time for bed? What if they looked forward to dreaming as a great adventure? Avery’s picture book celebrates the dreamscapes kids encounter when they’re finally tucked up, relaxed and ready to sleep. And just in case kids are having trouble settling in, she gives them fun and easy-to-follow relaxation exercises to get them ready for their nightly adventures. Parents will also appreciate how fluidly she integrates the concepts of cleaning up toys and brushing teeth as a prelude to those wonder-filled dreams.
What Wonders Do You See… When You Dream? is a gorgeously illustrated and eloquently written picture book about dreaming. I noted just a hint of wistfulness in the author’s closing words asking a child to share those dreams. Far from being an end to the fun and play of the waking world, Avery’s story offers kids a different way of looking at their sleeping and dream-states. Each of Liuba Syrotiuk’s outstanding watercolor illustrations held me spellbound and captivated. Her skillful use of washes and lovely flowing strokes of color make those dreams Avery speaks of seem so real. Avery’s story is also a perceptive guide to lucid dreaming; one that counsels kids on drawing joy and wonder from those strange and vivid movies unfolding before their eyes while they are dreaming. I can’t think of a better selection for a bedtime story. What Wonders Do You See… When You Dream? is most highly recommended.