Sweet Dreams of the Wild: Poems for Bedtime [Hardcover]

Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Author), Katharine Dodge (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

In bed for the night, a small child begins to wonder where animals sleep each night, in a collection of poetry that explores where a menagerie of animals, birds, and insects spends the night.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K?Cozy bedtime poems in free-style verse. In imaginary conversations, a child asks different animals and insects where they sleep and elicits their responses. There is a snug feeling to the poems, enhanced by soft colored-pencil illustrations of a cat curled up on a window seat, a spider swaying in its web in the garden, a robin nested by the window, a caterpillar wrapped in a silky cocoon, etc. Plenty of repetition makes this a good choice for sharing with young children.?Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 2^-5. Soothing, rhythmic poems explain where a variety of wild animals sleep. Echoing Bill Martin's Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (1992), each poem begins with a question that repeats the name of the animal twice and asks, "Where do you sleep?" Each animal answers, concluding, "I cuddle up tight / with sweet dreams of the wild, / and THAT'S where I sleep, / sleepy child!" The animal assortment includes a reptile, insects, and mammals, with several examples, such as squirrels and caterpillars, familiar enough that children might have wondered about their sleeping habits. Dodge's cozy, shimmering colored-pencil illustrations match Dotlich's quiet, tender mood well, and children will especially enjoy discovering some of the more camouflaged creatures. Susan Dove Lempke

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1st edition (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563971801
• ISBN-13: 978-1563971808
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,438,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The beginnings of wonder and science are created here., February 15, 1999

By 

Brenda Dales, Miami University (dalesbl@muohi... (Oxford, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sweet Dreams of the Wild: Poems for Bedtime (Hardcover)

Rebecca Dotlich's lyrical poems create descriptions of natural habitats for young children. The book is not a series of "lessons" to be learned, but a pleasant and enjoyable introduction to this aspect of nature. It is sure to stimulate thinking and wonder about the natural world. This book is a valuable example in my children's literature course when I discuss how poetry can inform science learning and can foster the beginnings of inquiry.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes you feel warm inside!!, December 8, 2001

By 

Marilyn Scherer (Zionsville, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sweet Dreams of the Wild: Poems for Bedtime (Paperback)

I purchased this book 4 years ago when my daughters were pretty young. They instantly fell in love with the book and we read it at bedtime every chance we get. Now that my daughters are avid readers, they read it to me!

The rhythm of the poems is very soothing and warm and the illustrations make feel like you're part of the animals' worlds. We love the way the book begins and ends right in the child's home yet explores slumber environments throughout nature! Ms. Dotlich's poems are captivating and comforting.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for young children, wonderful read aloud book, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Sweet Dreams of the Wild: Poems for Bedtime (Hardcover)

This is a great book for babies to 5 year old children. The words are soothing, and the children are able to find the various sleeping creatures in the pictures. I really like it when a book can become interactive between adult and child. This book would be a treasured baby shower gift to be passed down from generation to generation.