A lovely story about preparing for bed and getting ready to drift away in dreams.
A lovely story about preparing for bed and getting ready to drift away in dreams. Great as a bedtime story and perfect for children who like the same story every night as part of a calming routine. Lots of ideas to explore and discuss with your child. My three year old loved the beautiful pictures. We had a lovely chat about what dreams he likes and what he hopes to dream about! My seven year old is a bit too old but he thought it was soothing and a nice calm bedtime book!
I loved the idea in this book, that children enter a magical mystery world where anything is possible when they go to sleep.
I loved the idea in this book, that children enter a magical mystery world where anything is possible when they go to sleep. I also liked the illustrations which I think most children would relate to. I read the book aloud in order to review it because this story is meant to be read at bedtime and the gentle rhythm of bedtime stories is what helps children to sleep. On the whole, the rhyming worked although I felt that some of the language was rather contrived. However, I would be happy to read this book to my 3-year-old grand-daughter and I'm sure she would appreciate it.
What a lovely book to help put the little ones to sleep.
What a lovely book to help put the little ones to sleep. Told in rhyme, which children love, it goes through the process of getting ready for bed in a most delightful way. Helping children to relax and unwind, getting rid of giggles and fidgeting, and looking forward to what wonders we might see in our imagination. The illustrations are beautiful in watercolours of gorgeous colours which will surely enchant children and adults alike. Some of the language is quite advanced, so maybe a book for adults to read to the younger child, or to challenge the more able reader.
'What wonders do you see....when you dream' is perfect for those of us who have the privilege of sharing bedtime with young children, especially those who are perhaps anxious of the dark and those who like to delay the process!
'What wonders do you see....when you dream' is perfect for those of us who have the privilege of sharing bedtime with young children, especially those who are perhaps anxious of the dark and those who like to delay the process! Written in verse it describes the bedtime ritual and process in a light, positive and natural way including tasks such as tidying up and teeth brushing. The illustrations are a delight! Modern, yet subtle with the use of glorious colours and textures, each page matching the text carefully. Rhyme and rhythm is a joy for young children and as a retired primary Head Teacher, I have always advocated its usage in developing phonological awareness. I enjoyed the play with similar word sounds and the rhythm in parts - e.g. 'Bedtime is magical Bedtime is wondrous Bedtime is best when you're feeling slumberous.' However at times the rhyming is clumsy and the meter is incorrect and I feel that this is a disservice to children: 'It's time to say goodnight to the sun. Oh we've had so much fun!' This would be easy to solve and would enhance the overall quality of the book.
What a lovely book to read!
What a lovely book to read! It is a book the you can read to your children / grandchildren every night. The illustrations are very colourful and lively. It is a short story but will hold each child's attention until the end. I would recommend this book to be read to all children. Thank you.
This book is a thoroughly enjoyable and enriching experience.
'What Wonders do you see...when you Dream?' by Justine Avery is a lyrical poem for children of all ages. The illustrations are by the brilliant Ukrainian watercolourist, Liuba Syrotiuk. Just the perfect bedtime book! The author has used language and rhyme, with a liberal helping of poetic licence, to produce a work that I'm sure any child would ask to have read to them night after night, for 'Bedtime is magical. Bedtime is wondrous. Bedtime is best when you're feeling slumberous'. However, she also acknowledges that it can be a scary time and tries to put the child's mind at rest by asserting their power to 'give marching orders', 'give your worries a good kicker' and 'shoo away any troubles'. There are timely reminders too to tidy up and give teeth a brush. Then when 'we're completely calm and perfectly steady', 'unlock your imagination and open it wide' and the magic can begin!. Dreams can take us anywhere, 'the most extraordinary things appear' and there are 'such tremendously wonderful possibilities'. If only we were able to remember them all in the morning. By far the most magical thing about this book, however, is the way it is illustrated. The dreamlike quality of the watercolours is outstanding and the perfect foil to the text. I particularly like the hairy little 'troubles' that try to hide under the bed. The artist adds so much to our understanding of the words through her visual interpretation. This book is a thoroughly enjoyable and enriching experience.