On a cold winter night, a little boy goes to bed with his door open to the living room where his dad sits alone, "So that your dreams can come out to me." When he can't fall asleep, he snuggles with his dad, worrying out loud about what the wild animals are eating. Through talking about the next day and how the animals get food, the boy is reassured and they go outside to look at the stars, where they eventually they wish on a star, and go back inside after talking about the boy's missing mommy.
I love the sparseness of the diorama style illustrations. I love the descriptive text that puts the reader right there, smelling the fire and the cold night air. And I love Lunde's emotional sensitivity as he portrays the stable warmth of the boy's relationship with his father, and the aching loss that they both share. This is a book to savor and share especially with children who have lost loved ones. Make sure you read it first, because it could bring tears. Appropriate for students from kindergarten to third grade.
Andrea W., H.Q.
