Dreams Around the World

K-Gr 2—This book introduces 13 children, ages 3 to 8, from different nations, and their hopes and dreams. Owaki shows respect for his young subjects, treating equally the Polish girl's dream of being a princess and the Ugandan boy's more realistic aspiration to be a taxi driver. Each spread features one child, with a full-page color portrait on the left opposite text that gives the subject's nationality and the country's flag, the child's name and age, a short paragraph about how the photographer and the child met, and small, captioned action photos of the child's life. They often feature families, neighbors, and important locales. Children too young for similar DK titles will love the simplicity of Dreams, while older readers will be touched by the hopefulness and joy exuded by these youngsters, some of whom are growing up in harsh conditions. Extra materials include an introductory letter from the author and a perfunctory world map at the end.—Rebecca Dash Donsky, New York Public Library