Sweet Dreams
Jonathan Koshar, Steve Herold, Donna Trent
Hardcover
(Broad Reach Publishing, Dec. 21, 2007)
A book to encourage parents and kids to talk about their dreams. Right around bedtime, there is a magical moment when real conversations can happen between kids and grownups. It comes after the excitement of the day, when parents were at work and the children were in school. It comes after dinner, when the whole family shares. Just as one is getting tucked in -- but before lights out -- it's story time. Whether your child dreams of being an astronaut or a chef, a sailor or a teacher, Sweet Dreams is a deceptively simple little book for parents to share with their children. Reminiscent of the 1,001 nights (Daddy said, 'That's a pretty sweet dream. Tell me another...') and The Little Prince, Sweet Dreams is engaging, playful, and full of wonder. It encourages parents to talk to their children about dreams -- and vice versa -- in a dialogue that doesn't always happen in this busy day and age. Studies have shown that children need one-on-one interaction with parents on a regular basis, and reading together is a key component in creating strong role models to help kids grow up to be calm, compassionate and successful. Programs such as the NEA's Read Across America actively sponsor programs to bring kids and parents together for story time -- yet there are few books where the father is a central figure, and none on the NEA website. On San Francisco Chronicle's The Poop parenting blog, Kelly Mills called attention to this fact. Though this book was not intended to be a book specifically for fathers, it does have a dad playing a central role. By keeping kids focused on their dreams we help to achieve them. Sweet Dreams will initiate some special conversations between parents and children. And who knows what you will learn about each other? Just ask: What do YOU dream of?