What Wonders Do You See... When You Dream?

“The day has ended. Hasn’t it been splendid? But now, it’s time, to be sure, for an entirely different adventure.”

So begins Justine Avery’s book What Wonders Do You See . . . When You Dream?. A lovely engaging kids picture book that isn’t too long, nor too short, but just the right length for a fun bedtime story. It sets the scene wonderfully to be read to a child or co-read with a child (as I did with my son) just before they go to bed. Each page has a short, detailed sentence or two, as it goes over the events of the day that were busy and energy-consuming, but were also a lot of fun, nevertheless are now over. The routine has now to be completed for going to bed and getting to sleep: “Now that we’ve done all the tidying, where are those pajamas hiding? There they are! Now put them on. It’s time to stretch for a long lovely yawn.”

And it’s time to be tucked in and slowly close your eyes, for it is time to go to sleep like we do every night.

“Now let your little eyes fall close. Shut them tight — no peeking! For I will know if you are sneaking."

And while numerous children’s books would come to a close here, this one is only just beginning as the reader (and listener) get to explore the world of a child’s dreams, filled with color and life and activity and complexity and imagination. The illustrations in the book, by Liuba Syrotiuk, are simply breathtaking, with their complexity, but also bursting with color and life. The details are minor and simple that makes it clear what is going on, but also allowing the reader and viewer to add further with their imaginations.

Once the dreams begin, it is like beginning a new story and new book to some extent, with the sheer variety of color and detail with the illustrations that immediately captivate the reader. They inspire as well as draw one closer to study and learn more. They epitomize the essence of dreams which we all have, balancing common, normal events and details with the bizarre and unusual because if dreams can be called anything, they are unpredictable.

Justine Avery’s book is anything but the predictable, expected kid’s book. The entertaining rhyming scheme with the short sentences but use of complex, multi-syllabic words makes it a great education tool for the children reading along. I actually read it with my son and had him read some of the pages, which he had a lot of fun doing. Then the artwork is just so lovely and engrossing that it makes one wish for some of this artwork on one’s wall. What Wonders Do You See . . . When You Dream? is a thoroughly enjoyable children’s night-time story that works for kindergartners, as well as older and younger kids.

Star Rating: 4.5 / 5

What Wonders Do You See...When You Dream? by Justine Avery is a great story on how to get your kids to bed and the wonders they might experience while asleep. Surprisingly, the kids in the book are very excited to be getting ready for bed and show it by rushing to put their toys away, hurrying into the bathroom to brush their teeth, getting their pajamas on and taking the time to stretch to relax. What comes next is strange—the kids say that bedtime is fun! They can’t wait to get tucked in and start relaxing their bodies to be able to fall asleep. Anything that might be keeping them from falling asleep is told to stop! Deep breaths are taken again and again until the kids are finally able to drift off to sleep and experience the wonders of their dreams. When you are able to pay attention to what your mind is thinking, which can be hard to do during the day when you are busy and distracted, you can be surprised at what you will see. In your dreams, you can do or be anything you want to. Dreaming is very similar to make-believe and pretend play during the day, except it comes from your mind while you’re resting. Avery’s account of bedtime should sink into every child’s mind who reads this and in a perfect world, make the bedtime routine much easier for parents!

I really liked this book, and my kids loved it as well. They are at ages where they like to tell me about what they dream about from the night before, so after reading What Wonders Do You See…, they have a better idea of how to explain their dreams and understand the power of their dreams to help spark their imagination during the day. The pictures in the book are beautiful, full of soothing watercolors that are sure to put the children and adults who read the book in a calm mood before getting some much-needed rest. The story is in rhyme style, which makes it interesting and somewhat predictable for children as, depending on their age, they might be able to predict the next word to complete the sentence and idea in the story portrayed on the page. Even as adults, we should try to remember that in our dreams we don’t have to worry about reality or what is expected of us on a daily basis. I recommend this book for audiences of all ages to enjoy.

It’s the end of another splendid day and time for a different kind of adventure. Bedtime! Brush your teeth and find those pajamas. Get into bed and cuddle up close. If it’s hard to settle down, then swallow those giggles and nestle in tight. Close your eyes and unlock your imagination. There are some amazing things waiting for you. Bedtime is a magical time. Let the dreams begin.

Justine Avery’s What Wonders Do You See…When You Dream? is a sweet tale that speaks to the restless child at bedtime. The book first lists out the ritual before bed. Put the toys away and grab those pajamas. Then crawl into bed. This helps young readers with ants in their pants to wind down. For those children who still wiggle under the covers, the story addresses them, too. It tells them to buckle up those chuckles—sniggle every giggle. Relax those fingers and toes, and let the eyelids slowly close. Take a deep breath and blow it out. Again. The singsong rhyme and rhythm helps lull young readers to sleep, and the story’s instructions are almost hypnotic.

Only once the child is calm and steady, all settled and comfy, will the story reveal the magical world of a child’s imagination. The character walks through a white curtain opening up to a rainbow of color, transitioning from the ordinary world to the dream world through a tear in the blank page. This is from Liuba Syrotiuk’s own clever imagination. Her vibrant watercolors have amazing details on every page. The characters come to life and float through each scene, running through the house or bouncing on the bed. Syrotiuk then leaves young readers with dazzling images of the dream world in the last pages of the book.

There are some inconsistencies in the rhyme and rhythm that makes reading the story aloud difficult in the beginning. But then the story slows down and finds its rhythm, shifting the tone into a lovely lullaby. There are a few lines that feel forced into the rhyming scheme. The text also wanders at the end of the story, losing its rhythm again. Minimal text would have better served the images at the end. But this does not take away from the beauty of the book. The alliteration is fun to read, and the story has the ability to coax that restless child into dreamland. What Wonders Do You See…When You Dream? is a wonderful choice for bedtime reading.

Star Rating: 4.5 / 5

What Wonders Do You See...When You Dream? is a bedtime story about dreaming, and it's about what you do when you are getting ready for bed. The story says how good nighttime is and how dreams can be magical. In the story, the boy and girl starts to get ready for bed. They put away books, they have to be quiet, they get all the wiggles out, and they snuggle in their beds to get ready to sleep and dream. You need to close your eyes when you sleep and dream. When you dream, it is magical.

I think this is a good bedtime story because it rhymes and because they talk about bedtime stuff that help you fall asleep. I do all the same stuff like putting away my books, brushing my teeth, getting into my pj's just like the boy and girl. I like the story because some parts were silly like when the girl and boy are in the bathroom, there's a cat in the sink and the boy's toothbrush is brushing itself. Another silly part was when there were eyes underneath the girls' bed. It made me laugh. I think those eyes are the niggles, but I don't know what a niggle is. The hairy monsters are cute. 

I like the illustrations in this book. A lot of them were silly. Like the beginning of the story, the boy is trying to pick a giant mushroom and the birds are saying "sleep." I've never seen a giant mushroom, and birds usually don't talk. Another silly drawing was the bunnies helping the boy and girl clean up their toys. I noticed something weird in the book. The first time when the girl opened her mouth, all her teeth were there. The second time the girl opened her mouth, one of her teeth was missing. 

Something I dream about is being a grown-up and having my own house. And I dream about Harry Potter and having magic, too. I recommend this book to anyone who likes bedtime stories and to anyone who has a big imagination.

Reviewed by Madie - Age 6

What Wonders Do You See ... When You Dream? is a sweet picture book that aims to help young readers find the alluring promise of what sleep can bring.

The narrative encourages kids to take time to transition from their busy days with a familiar routine of packing up toys, donning PJs, and brushing teeth. The rhyming text then has readers notice the wonders in their lives and how their imaginations can soar once they settle in with a relaxed mind.

Blissfully playful illustrations in pretty mauves and blues combine with the charming story to lull readers with a delightfully rhythmic beat. The soft lines of the watercolor images work so well to convey a dreamy experience. The author’s own energetic wonder of what the world can hold for you if you choose to seek it out shines through.

This picture book shows readers that sleeping is indeed something to look forward to! That’s a definite plus for us! The fantastical feel is sure to inspire young dreamers and explorers.

What Wonders Do You See... When You Dream? is a children’s picture book written by Justine Avery and illustrated by Liuba Syrotiuk. What if kids didn’t groan when it was time for bed? What if they looked forward to dreaming as a great adventure? Avery’s picture book celebrates the dreamscapes kids encounter when they’re finally tucked up, relaxed and ready to sleep. And just in case kids are having trouble settling in, she gives them fun and easy-to-follow relaxation exercises to get them ready for their nightly adventures. Parents will also appreciate how fluidly she integrates the concepts of cleaning up toys and brushing teeth as a prelude to those wonder-filled dreams. 

What Wonders Do You See... When You Dream? is a gorgeously illustrated and eloquently written picture book about dreaming. I noted just a hint of wistfulness in the author’s closing words asking a child to share those dreams. Far from being an end to the fun and play of the waking world, Avery’s story offers kids a different way of looking at their sleeping and dream-states. Each of Liuba Syrotiuk’s outstanding watercolor illustrations held me spellbound and captivated. Her skillful use of washes and lovely flowing strokes of color make those dreams Avery speaks of seem so real. Avery’s story is also a perceptive guide to lucid dreaming; one that counsels kids on drawing joy and wonder from those strange and vivid movies unfolding before their eyes while they are dreaming. I can’t think of a better selection for a bedtime story. What Wonders Do You See... When You Dream? is most highly recommended.

What Wonders Do You See...When You Dream? receives colorful, fun watercolors by Liuba Syrotiuk to compliment a rhyming picture book story about day's end, night's beginning, and the possibilities of dreams.

Youngsters and their read-aloud parents will appreciate a story that takes a different approach to sleep than the usual bedtime admonitions, maintaining that sleep is an opportunity for a different kind of dreamtime adventure that should be encouraged and looked forward to—not resisted.

But first, there are preparations for bed: brushing teeth, telling the house to "hush hush hush", and locating pajamas.

As kids receive a review of the lively possibilities that are unavailable in daytime, they may cultivate a different perspective on why sleep is actually desirable from an excitement standpoint.

"Bedtime is magical." This very different admonition than the usual treatise on how to become drowsy will help kids realize that sleep is an opportunity; not a limiting factor to potential fun.

Even the mechanics of how to arrive at dreamland are covered, making What Wonders Do You See...When You Dream? an outstanding alternative to most sleep books that provides a positive spin on not just getting to bed, but entering and enjoying dreamland.

What Wonders Do You See... When You Dream? by Justine Avery is quiet simply a beautiful children’s book whose artwork is matched by the eloquent story that runs throughout. While this simple narrative of getting ready for bed and the dreams to come could have produced a rather boring and banal story, Justine Avery has transformed it into a literary journey perfect for any bedtime.

The idea of including everything a child has to go through, such as brushing teeth and finding pajamas, is ingenious as the child can relate to every aspect of the story. It wouldn’t be surprising if What Wonders Do You See... When You Dream? becomes a regular addition to their night-time ritual. Avery has not only created a fantastic and beautiful piece of children’s literature but a way for a parent to strengthen the bond with their child. Around the breakfast table they will happily discuss what adventures and wonders they saw the night before.

We all know how difficult it can be to get children to go to bed and sleep throughout the night, and this book makes that entire process just that little bit easier. The melodic tone throughout the book almost acts like a lullaby sending the children off into their adventure filled dreams.

The fluid rhyming makes this a natural for reading aloud while the re-readability of the book will have both parent and child glued to the pages.

I very, very much enjoyed this delightful bedtime tale, superbly illustrated by Liuba Syrotiuk. The writing style, often simple but always very, very visual, works perfectly for a picture book of this nature. Pacing is also excellent, the paragraphs never overly long, perfect for a restless child at bedtime.

There was so much to enjoy here, whether it be the wonderfully playful language – big wow words such as ‘SLUMBEROUS!’ and words like ‘wriggle’, ‘giggle’ and ‘sniggle’ – or the very clever way the story tells the child, ‘sleep can be a big adventure too’. Also, the rhythm of the story is almost spot on, a very important aspect of a rhyming picture book.

Now to the pics. They are, to be totally honest, superb. For my daughter (who also read the book), they were the best part of the book. Yes, she enjoyed the story, characters and settings, but it was the colourful, even delightful drawings that kept her interest. There are plenty too, and they, along with the lightly written story, kept her enthralled all evening.

So, who would I recommend this book to? I would think any parent who is looking for a lightly written, fun-filled, bedtime story for children aged 4 – 7 would find this fits the bill perfectly. Particularly if the child finds it difficult to go to sleep. After enjoying this book, the child just might want to!!! 

I always like to end with what I liked the best. For me, it was this: Don’t forget those teeth: brush, brush, brush! Then, tell the house to “hush, hush, hush.”

To Sum Up: Colorful with plenty happening to keep any child amused, this might prove very, very popular at bedtime. Wonderful stuff!

A wonderfully fun story, perfect for kids who simply don’t want to go to bed. Highly recommended.