Dreamer: Saving Our Wild World

K-Gr 2—"Once I had a dream, a special dream, a dream about our world." So begins a young boy's night of dream visits to regions around the world where animals and habitats are threatened or spoiled by human activity. A simple scheme of brief text in broad double-page views creates both an inviting journey and evocative lessons. "I dreamt I was a whale…and no hunters/chased after me." Sometimes the boy is an animal—a seal, an elephant, a panda. At other times, he dreams of the earth itself. "I dreamt I was a lake…/and no one filled me/with junk." A stream, an island, a rain forest, a valley pictured as a splendid Grand Canyon vista, and the air where "nothing blackened me" are other destinations. Each setting is beautifully conveyed in the mixed-media paintings, with lovely sweeps of color suggesting some backgrounds. The boy is always present as a relaxed observer or sometimes a tiny figure active among the habitat's animals. Small objects and animals judiciously placed add detail and bits of humor. These are particularly fun in the opening bedroom scene and the boy's concluding flight through space, paintbrush in hand. "I dreamt I painted a smile on the face of the earth/for all to see." A final page invites readers to dream of a better world and take action. Several statistical notes on wildlife losses are followed by a comprehensive listing of websites of international organizations.