- in Children's
- review by Julia Rothman
- on February 16, 2009
- comments by 8 readers
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An Awesome Book!
My friend Jess sent me this book as a present unaware that I had already been emailing with Dallas Clayton, the author and illustrator. He completely sold out of his first run of this self-published book and was unable to send me a copy. Luckily one of his sales had been to my friend Jess so I got one anyway. Normally I might find a title like this a little presumptuous but it actually is a really really awesome book. And whatever major publisher snags this up for mass production will no doubt have a new children’s bestseller. The book is about dreams and how you should have them. But your dreams should be exciting dreams (“of rocket-powered unicorns and candy cane machines, of magic watermelon boats and musical baboons”) and not boring ones like the kind some other people dream (“of buying a new hat, of owning matching silverware”) The whole book is set up in fun rhymes of the most imaginative dreams and the most boring. All of the text, which is wonderfully handdrawn in 3-d caps, is accompanied by equally outrageous illustrations that cover whole spreads. On the spread about dreaming of owning matching silverware, hundreds of pink, yellow, and blue forks, spoons, and knives spiral around the page in a wild pattern. On another spread, a monsters head is cropped in so tightly across the entire two pages that you only see his eyes and the bottoms of his ears and every single tiny hair. It’s one thing to think of the idea of “teeny tiny trumpet players training pet raccoons” but then Dallas also drew them. This book is so quirky and delightful in all the right ways. I can’t say enough good things about it. I could see this becoming a classic in the future, it’s that special. Go get this book- only $15. Hopefully some publisher will want to make millions of copies of this book too so we never run out again. Thank you Jess, thank you Dallas!
Jane wrote
This looks so cool…it’s great when an idea and the visual graphic are in sync. I look forward to seeing the whole thing soon. I love to see what’s new for kids’ books. Thanks, Julia
February 16, 2009 7:23pmallie wrote
That really is an awesome book – great recommendation :)
February 17, 2009 7:10amJess wrote
I couldn’t help it. He had me at Rocket Powered Unicorns!
February 17, 2009 10:56amJanet wrote
wish this was available…my kids would love it
February 19, 2009 10:12amjulia wrote
Janet- this is available! Just click on the link above that says “go get this book”.
February 19, 2009 10:15ammag wrote
hello, I am visiting your site for the first time and love it. I am gonna purchase this book; I read it on dallas Clayton’s site and it is great indeed. My boy (4) already commented the pictures on the screen. The illustration style recalls Emmanuelle Houdart’s work (French artist) (http://www.ricochet-jeunes.org/parudet.asp?livrid=4830).
February 21, 2009 3:37amAlexis wrote
Good site, admin.
March 26, 2009 8:50amCheryl wrote
I bought this book and we LOVE it! My daughter is 3 and we spend a lot of time looking at the details in the drawings and talking about them. We even play “I spy” on some of the pages. It’s an excellent book and it sure spikes your imagination! Thanks for the recommendation!
August 4, 2009 1:05pm