IN YOUR DREAMS

A mother helps her little boy to plan his dreams before sleeping in Ojo’s picture book.

Alexander, an elementary-school-aged boy, is in bed at bedtime. His mama turns off the light and his red, starry nightlight comes on, but he’s not sleepy and doesn’t want his parent to leave: “Please, one more book? One more kiss? / One more hug?” Mama curls up beside him for one last cuddle; she senses that he feels scared, so she asks, “What should we do / in your dreams tonight?” This sparks Alexander’s imagination, and he thinks of various dreams he could dream, involving cuddling his baby brother, slam-dunking a basketball with his older sibling, lying on a dinosaur’s back and looking at the stars, or driving trucks with his mama. Tan’s dreamy illustrations offer stylized characters and watercolor settings with soft spots of color that illuminate Alexander’s bedroom and the purple night sky. The imagined daytime scenes are bright and fun, and they complement the theme of embracing new adventures. Ojo’s rhyming verse has a melodious quality that embodies the story’s calm tone. The book’s ending prepares readers for slumber: “So what will you do / in your dreams this sleep?” Alexander is portrayed with brown skin; his mother has a pale skin tone.

A comforting, encouraging, and practical bedtime story for the troubled sleeper.