MOONBEAR'S DREAM (Moonbear Books) - Hardcover

Frank Asch's stories have delighted children and parents for decades. Mr. Asch lives and works in the dream house that he and his wife, Jan, built in Middletown Springs, Vermont.

PreSchool-A book that will please some of Asch's fans while perplexing others. The unlikely sight of a kangaroo hopping past their house convinces Bear and Little Bird that they must be dreaming. When his feathered friend suggests that they wake themselves up, Bear says, "Why not have some fun first?" So, they eat their food stores, make a mess, and go for a swim. In the meantime, a zookeeper comes searching and finds the escaped kangaroo wandering in the disheveled house. Believing she must be responsible for the mess, the zookeeper, depicted as a pig, quickly sets everything straight. Bear and Little Bird return home, happy (but not surprised) to find normalcy restored. They settle down for a nap, exhausted from their "dream" adventures. As always, Asch's illustrations are childlike and charming. Soft colors and rounded shapes emphasize the coziness of Bear's home. Visual jokes include showing the escaped kangaroo through Bear's window as the friends settle down for their (real) nap at the end. Young children will enjoy the opportunity to revisit familiar characters; for some young listeners, however, the question of whether the story is in fact dream or reality may cause confusion. Libraries in which the series is particularly popular may wish to add this title while others will want to wait for the next installment in hopes of a more straightforward and satisfying story.
Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
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