If I Had a Little Dream

Rhyming stanzas explore the notion of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary ...Easy on the eyes and ears; excellent for bedtime.

Taken together, the lulling lines and lovely artwork cultivate a snug, welcoming atmosphere ideal for one-on-one sharing before saying good night.

Illustrator Castrillon debuts with a splash, imagining a world enclosed in a riot of lush, filigreed leaves and flowers, dyed with the warm colors of sunset and the blue of Chinese porcelain. Laden (Are We There Yet?) writes in the voice of a girl who dances, bicycles, and dreams her way through scenes that picture her wishes for a house, boat, dog, siblings, and more: "If I had a little garden, / I would name it Whole./ Whole would be filled/ with roots and seeds, / and feed my heart and soul." At bedtime, the girl's mother cradles her in her arms and tells her, "If I had a little dream, / I would name it You./ You would make life magical, / where wishes do come true." Through Laden's rhymes can be awkward in places, her poetry comes from the heart, and Castrillon's artwork carries the words to a place where birds bring tea and cupcakes to the window, thistly flowers grow as high as trees, and houses are just the right size for a single child. She's a talent to watch. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator's agency: Pickled Ink. (Feb.)

In a rhyming, lyrical bedtime book, a pigtailed child with rosy cheeks dreams up imaginary people, places, and things. Each is the subject of a quatrain that is phrased in a soothing and pleasant rhythm, adding to the precious and endearing quality of the text. The verses follow the same pattern: "If I had a little book, /I would name it Friend./Friend would go wherever I went, /our story would never end." While Laden does not describe the objects themselves as otherworldly, Castrillon creates a dreamlike tone with her pencil illustrations, which swirl with detail in deep blues, burnt oranges, browns, and reds. The objects and backgrounds are slightly surreal, some with a Seussian feel. The child is surrounded by intricate trees, peculiar plants, and curious forest creatures. Dream threads appear as winding blue vines from the child's head. The pages are pleasantly constructed, with a balance of smaller symmetrical vignettes and half and full spreads. The final page shows the child in the arms of a loving adult caregiver and offers the message, "If I had a little dream, /I would name it You./You would make life magical, /where wishes do come true." VERDICT A sweet bedtime selection where the illustrations are the star. Purchase for medium and large collections.—Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA