THE DREAMS WE MADE, by Lisa Bentley, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, May 23, 2023, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
A young girl learns about love and loss and moving forward after grief in The Dreams We Made by Lisa Bentley.
Every night, a little girl and her daddy build dreams out of paper, scissors, and glue. Every morning the little girl asks, “Take me with you?” And every time, Daddy tells her they’ll keep building when he gets home from work.
Until one night when Daddy doesn’t come home. When Mommy tells her that Daddy died, the little girl feels confused and sad and even mad. How can she keep building without Daddy? But with some time and help from Mommy, the little girl begins building dreams again and finds a way to take her daddy with her everywhere she goes. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
This tender picture book isn’t for every kid — it could enhance separation anxiety for some — but it surely will resonate with others. Lisa Bentley uses a gentle touch when approaching death, and her explanations of how we can still create memories after someone is gone are thoughtful and explained well. Bentley’s illustrations mirror her sentiments, offering up imagination and expression with each turn of the page. This book could be particularly useful for kids who are experiencing loss for the first time.
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