Remember to Dream, Ebere

Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Erivo presents an endearing bedtime story in dialogue that will ring true for many children and their guardians. Ebere, a Black girl who wears glasses, has a difficult time sleeping through the night. As her mother patiently encourages Ebere to "dream some more," after each successive wake-up chat, Ebere envisions a rocket ship, one that grows to be "as big as two houses--and as red as a fire engine," named The Light Chaser, and has Ebere as its captain. Barlow's illustrations, created digitally with handmade watercolor textures, provide an engaging visual divide between the fantastical dream space and the warmth of home through layers of soft color and light. A tender, well-paced model of an enduringly supportive parent-child relationship, and an encouraging reminder to keep building upon one's dreams. Back matter features an author's note. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

"You'd better go back and dream some more," Ebere's mother tells her patiently. Ebere is a young, pajama-clad Black girl with locs and glasses, whose vivid dreams of rocket ships keep her up at night. In this loving tale, Ebere sweetly shares her dreams with her mother, and is given nothing but encouragement to go back to sleep and dream even bigger. Soft watercolor illustrations depict details of Ebere's warm home life and dog, as well as her dream visions of a red rocket named The Light Chaser and the colorful starry skies that surround it. The bedtime routine may seem familiar for many families and is perfect for parents and caregivers to read aloud to their children. A note from the author concludes Erivo's debut picture book, counseling young readers to dream "Big, Big Gargantuan dreams in the brightest colors." VERDICT This inspirational bedtime story, with appeal for fans of Kobi Yamada and Andrea Beaty, would be a welcome addition to every collection.—Monisha Blair, Glasgow M. S., Alexandria, VA