Franklin's Big Dreams

K-Gr 2—One ordinary night, during his bedtime routine, Franklin gets a huge surprise: a construction crew comes crashing through the wall of his room. A foreman informs the surprised boy that he should be asleep, then continues with his work, laying tracks. While Franklin watches from the safety of his bed, a train comes whistling through, carrying some familiar faces. After it trundles away, the crew breaks up the track, leaving Franklin to a dream of rushing along train tracks through a moonlit forest. A week later, the same thing happens, only this time with a plane and later, a huge cruise ship. With each episode, Franklin spots a recognizable face onboard the vehicle, then has a dream of traveling to fantastic lands on wings or ocean waves. The next time his wall is breached, he finally catches on. He dictates where he would like to go in this dream sequence: a big round moon peeking through his window gives his destination away. While this is an interesting concept, it takes several readings to understand exactly what is going on in the bedroom. The illustrations, however, are quite beautiful, and the cool palette and soft lines add to the dreamy feel of the story. Each spread is more magnificent then the next, helping to build to the out-of-this-world conclusion.—Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA