Publisher's Weekly Review
In this companion to Dream Animals, Martin turns her attention to imaginary creatures, reminding readers how easily accessible they are through, well, their imaginations. Her scenes feature children watching the clouds, peering into tide pools, and exploring museums, all of which spur imagined escapades with mythical animals-the young museumgoer in his preppy bow tie and sweater, for example, is transported to the back of a phoenix, a vantage point from which he photographs the dinosaurs below. Soothing rhymes and soft, evocative paintings combine to make the magical possibilities of the imagination feel very real. Ages 3-7. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
This companion to Martin's Dream Animals (2013) moves from dreaming at night to daydreaming, using both real and fantastical animals to prod the imagination. The book starts by saying there seem to be no dragons left, but they still exist in the land of waking dreams. Clouds in dragon shapes rise above this statement. The book then moves to the seashore, a museum, a garden, a castle, and a library. Each ordinary scene is contrasted with what the imagination can make of it: the seashore expands into a merry-go-round with children astride sea creatures; the museum's bone exhibit morphs into a trip back to the time of the dinosaur; and so on. These daydreams are visualized by Martin's unique paintings, which range from dreamy pastels to explosive brights. The 1940s style of the children's clothes and hair suggest a time when imagination, not technology, held sway, adding to the overall argument that one's own brain contains the most magnificent wonders.--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2014 Booklist
