Dream

PreS-Gr 2—In a companion to Wish, Cordell again explores the deeply personal relationship between parent and child. Two gorilla parents bring home a new baby and wonder, "Who would you be? Who would we be?" Following is the dream one of these parents has of watching the baby grow and knowing that the child will at some point leave to see the world. The adult foresees that sometimes there will be discovery and sometimes heartache. Softly hued pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations take readers into a natural world that is slightly anthropomorphic with its hut, crib, paintbrushes, and canvases. Colorful, confetti-like swirls radiate off the child, symbolizing all the many possibilities. Through the passage of time, viewers see the young gorilla emerge as an artist and leave home, and learn how the parents "felt everything." Cordell comes full circle as the parent awakens, back with the infant child. In the spirit of Dr. Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go!, this is a parent's dream of possibilities, but it offers children the security of unconditional love and support.