I Dreamt…: A Book About Hope

Gr 4 Up—"Hope is the thing with feathers," wrote Emily Dickinson. However, in Olmos's book, where poetry is joined with artwork from 12 Mexican illustrators with diverse styles, hope is a thing with claws. The illustrations seem to belong in a New York City art gallery rather than a picture book, but many children will appreciate their complexity. The sweetness of the cover image-children floating on dandelions-does not prepare viewers for the jarring spreads inside. For example, one features a black wolf with burning red eyes and sharp white teeth. Here, the poet imagines a world in which "danger/could be cut into confetti/if only you could find/the right pair of scissors." The voice throughout is tinged with wistfulness, but none of the pictures is easy to swallow. Kids see dark birds perched on disembodied hands and drug lords with scarred, distorted features. After this book is closed, the disturbing images-not the poem-will linger with audiences. Still, the text is brilliant and beautiful and could be analyzed in depth by older readers. Librarians and teachers will need exceptional skill and sensitivity in introducing this title. However, the extra effort will be worthwhile, as peace has never looked as powerful as it does in this book.—Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College, Queens, NY