My First How to Catch the Sandman, by Alice Walstead, Joel Selby (illustrator), Ashley Selby (illustrator)

 

Publication Sept. 3, 2024

While I wasn't quite as captivated by this installment in the series as with, say, the Fairy Godmother one, it was still a sweet, fun read that children will like. I noted that the print was all capital letters, too, which seemed to make it easier to read, go figure, which I think would be a plus for children reading the book on their own. The illustrations are colorful and detailed enough to hold a child's attention as they look to see what little goodies their eyes can spy on the pages will not weighting them down. In other words, like the Sandman, they were light enough to fly. Light enough to weave dreams. I particularly liked that the author, well, Sandman says that if you open your mind, there are many, many different dreams to choose from. I liked the imagined choices. 

My only real disappointment was in not seeing more of the whimsy of the traps children might come up with to trap the Sandman. While they are noted, included childlike renderings of plans, for me they lacked the action/humor of the other books I've read in the series. That said, it's still a fun read and given the lovely, drifting clouds and stars, not to mention the shiny, bouncing and, oh, so magical dream-sand, it's a fun read and I'm betting it'll be a nighttime favorite of many children. Thanks #NetGalley and #SourcebooksKids - #wonderland for this early peek and inspiration for a lovely dream-filled night.

June Moon: A Board Book Lynn Becker, Nate Carvalho (Illustrator)

 

Publication May 21, 2024

Lyrical and sweetly dreamy, this one takes us through a child's day in a fun way. There are lots of little touches throughout within the pictures that add to the atmosphere without being disruptive. Let's face it, the goal is to lull a child into dreamland. My favorite was the parrot on the Pirate Moon pages.  The moon has a cloud teddy, too, at one point so look for it. Grin.

While I'd wish for more of a story, this one was cute and has the nice lyrical repetition that helps lull children to sleep. There's an emphasis on routine, too, as we see the child initially at play, then things slow as the day wanes and bedtime approaches. The colors are largely pastels and at one point the sky seems to even be swirling in the distance, a nice touch. The word choice is simple with repetition, ie nothing jarring to jolt one out of a sleepy mode. There's some whimsy to the story which, again, I wish had been a bit more substantial. The ending seemed abrupt, too, though maybe that was just me. Don't get me wrong, it's a cute book, just not quite what I expected. Much of the humor, which is always a bit plus to me, was conveyed in the illustrations, I'll note. Still, for younger children, this book should be a nice touch, with soft colors and lyrical repetition to help them drift off to sleep after their bedtime routine.  Thanks #NetGalley and #Familius for sharing this sneak peek with me. Made me feel like summer was here.