The Dream Collector

Terri L. Lyons is an elementary-school librarian, who also teaches in
the Distance Education Department and specializes in readers’ advisory
services at Mohawk College.

This lovely, thoughtful picture book will appeal to children and adults
alike. Zachary awakes one Saturday morning to find two zebras and a
large shaggy dog drinking out of his birdbath. As he starts to follow
them, he discovers a little old man trying to fix a truck. The sign on
the truck reads “Dream Collector. Streets Clear by Dawn.” When
Zachary asks what that means, the old man states that city regulations
require him to pick up all dreams. If the dreams are not picked up by
the time “sunlight touches them, they’re here to stay.” Zachary
then embarks on an adventure by helping the old man to collect the
dreams.

The illustrations are bright, imaginative, and innovative. The dream
characters emerge out of the swirls of color depicted by both the
background and the characters themselves. For little ones, it is a
magical game to find the different figures on each page.

The whole concept of the story is fascinating to young readers. What
does happen to your dreams? Do they somehow have a life of their own?
Although some children may find this thought reassuring, others may be
frightened by the idea that their dreams might by “real.” Yet this
gentle story, with its satisfying ending, will surely reassure most
readers. Highly recommended.