Tell Me What to Dream About

PreS-Gr 1—In a darkened bedroom, a young girl requests that her older sister tell her what to dream about "or I won't be able to fall asleep." The older girl comes up with several fanciful scenarios for her little sister to ponder, such as eating teeny-tiny waffles with teeny-tiny animals, and living in a furry world, a fluffy world, and a tree house. But for every suggestion, the little girl finds something to worry about, until the older sister gets too tired to think of anything else, and both girls finally fall asleep. Potter's classic watercolor-and-ink illustrations have a quirkiness that perfectly mirrors the fantasy element of the dreams, and the contrast between the calm blueness of night and the warm brightness of the dream worlds works beautifully. There is a great deal of imagination and whimsy in these dream ideas and more than a bit of menace as well, yet this is a book that also feels quite personal. Indeed, it is no surprise that the author wrote it for her own daughters, who ask her what they should dream about. The result is a realistic and intimate bedtime conversation between sisters.