In Our Dreams

A “magic dreamscape” beckons with sensorial experiences of the natural world in this slumbrous rhyming picture book. From oceans and “deepest forests” to “mighty mountains” and meadows, a caregiver and child, both portrayed with brown skin, anticipate the peaceful pleasures and natural beauty that will infuse their dreams: “We’ll race through/ wild, sweet meadows,/ trail fingers/ in the grass,// then rest among the flowers/ as hours tiptoe past.” Adani’s gentle full-bleed renderings layer cool-toned swatches of color with a soft-edged airbrush effect. While the caregiver and child feature in each setting, calming vistas of illuminated landscapes predominate, offering an ideal frame for Otter’s easygoing verse, which undulates across each spread. After a journey that sees the loving pair imaginatively dive into word pools and taste falling raindrops, a starry cityscape sets the scene for a final caring enjoinder: “Close your eyes,/ my little one,/ and sleep/ in peace tonight.” Ages 3–7. (July)—Publishers Weekly