The Sandman: The Story of Sanderson Mansnoozie

Gr 4–6—This slightly overwritten, sumptuously illustrated original folktale continues Joyce's epic series. The Man in the Moon (introduced in the first book as MiM) was the first of the "Guardians of Childhood," and it was he who discovered the others. The Sandman (aka Sandy) spends his time piloting a shooting star and delivering wishes through his constant dreaming. But when the nefarious Pitch, King of the Nightmares, attacks him, he loses control of his star and crashes into Earth. MiM's wish allows him to land safely and to fill his island with dreams. Eventually he awakens, his island turns to a cloud, and he takes on the role of Sandman, protector of good dreams. Joyce's multimedia illustrations are lush and detailed. Sandy's starship seems to actually glow against the starry sky, and Pitch is dark and menacing, his minions black, creepy, and goblinesque. The many full-bleed spreads on dark backgrounds are cinematic in scope, detailed, and a pleasure to view. The text is written in an ornate, old-fashioned way that fits the style of the story but occasionally becomes labored or overwrought. Because of the recent film, there may be requests for this book and the earlier titles.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT