What do you think?
If I Had a Little Dream
See and appreciate through a child’s eyes how fortunate we are to live in the world we do. Celebrate the wonder of the world - the joy, love, and beauty that is part of each and every day. Our world is full of possibilities if you look for them.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
March 11, 2019
What a beautiful book, these illustrations are gorgeous, I love the colour scheme, the blue, orange, red and brown and the way each design fits perfectly in the page. The illustrations are stunning, they look inspired by William Morris' botanical designs, they make me want to draw. The text was nice enough and felt like it would be a gentle and reassuring bedtime read. Now I have closed the book I can't actually remember a thing about the text but those illustrations have stuck in my head!
November 30, 2020
নিনা লেয়ডেনের ফালতু সব ছড়ার সাথে মেলিসা কাস্ত্রিয়োনের অপূর্ব সব অলংকরণ।
February 28, 2019
Author Nina Laden and illustrator Melissa Castrillón, whose subsequent picture-book,
Yellow Kayak
, was my introduction to their work, first collaborated here, on this lovely little tome. The rhyming text explores a child's view of everyone and everything around her, from her house and garden to her brother and sister, giving each a name (her house is "Love," her pond is "Wonder") that reflects what it means to her. The accompanying artwork is gorgeous, with a deep palette of oranges and blues, beautifully stylized figures, and an overall composition that is reminiscent of a tapestry...
Much like their other book, I found Laden and Castrillón's If I Had a Little Dream to be a visually stunning title. I would happily put this artwork on my bedroom wall - it makes me think of a tapestry for some reason, or some kind of intricate cloth art. I thought the rhyming text was engaging, with a old-fashioned feeling that was very charming. That said, I had no sooner finished reading it, than I was struggling to recall what it said, and to articulate what it meant. There's nothing at all wrong with the text, but I think it is stronger at conveying an emotional impression - of love and contentment - than an idea. Which is perfectly fine, not every piece of writing needs to accomplish the same thing. Recommended to anyone looking for beautifully-illustrated picture-books, or for gentle children's stories told in rhyme.
Much like their other book, I found Laden and Castrillón's If I Had a Little Dream to be a visually stunning title. I would happily put this artwork on my bedroom wall - it makes me think of a tapestry for some reason, or some kind of intricate cloth art. I thought the rhyming text was engaging, with a old-fashioned feeling that was very charming. That said, I had no sooner finished reading it, than I was struggling to recall what it said, and to articulate what it meant. There's nothing at all wrong with the text, but I think it is stronger at conveying an emotional impression - of love and contentment - than an idea. Which is perfectly fine, not every piece of writing needs to accomplish the same thing. Recommended to anyone looking for beautifully-illustrated picture-books, or for gentle children's stories told in rhyme.
August 3, 2023
If I had a little house,
I would name it Love.
Love would make me happy
and protect me like a glove.
কী যে মিষ্টি একটা বই!
আরও কয়েশবার পড়ে ছড়াগুলো মুখস্থ করে ফেলতে হবে!
March 5, 2021
Very sweet.
The illustrations are beautiful. I love the limited colour palette.
The illustrations are beautiful. I love the limited colour palette.
November 21, 2022
برشی از کتاب:
اگر سرزمین کوچکی داشتم،
نامش را می گذاشتم آن جا.
"آن جا" خانه ام می شد؛
چه هوا صاف بود، چه طوفانی.
با اینکه این کتاب مناسب +4 ساله ولی حتی برای من هم خیلی جذاب بود :')
تصاویر و متن هردو خیلی صوییت و دوست داشتنی بودن ^^
اگر سرزمین کوچکی داشتم،
نامش را می گذاشتم آن جا.
"آن جا" خانه ام می شد؛
چه هوا صاف بود، چه طوفانی.
با اینکه این کتاب مناسب +4 ساله ولی حتی برای من هم خیلی جذاب بود :')
تصاویر و متن هردو خیلی صوییت و دوست داشتنی بودن ^^
January 4, 2022
"If I had a littel garden I would name it Whole. Whole would be filled with roots and seeds, and feed my heart and soul."
The story and the illustration are really good and beautiful 😭🥺I wish to read this kind of book when I was a kid.
If I had a little book, I would name it Friend. Friend would go wherever I went, our story would never end
The story and the illustration are really good and beautiful 😭🥺I wish to read this kind of book when I was a kid.
If I had a little book, I would name it Friend. Friend would go wherever I went, our story would never end
December 28, 2021
Beautiful illustrations, nature and poetry. Great for children as early as 18mo. My 2.5 and 5.5yo both loved it.
September 4, 2025
I love me a pretty picture book on my lunch break. Big fan of the art, the text not as much unfortunately
May 29, 2017
This is the sweetest book! It's the perfect length for a bedtime story (that I'm sure many will want to re-read). Told in rhyming verse, the language is simple but plays with words on a different level that's great for children and adults alike. "If I had a little table, I would name it Sweet. Sweet would be a place to share delicious things to eat."
The illustrations are done using minimal colors, but are quite detailed. I want to use this as a poetry anchor book for a writing unit with my students this fall. This is definitely a book that will remain a child's favorite.
The illustrations are done using minimal colors, but are quite detailed. I want to use this as a poetry anchor book for a writing unit with my students this fall. This is definitely a book that will remain a child's favorite.
April 18, 2017
The poetry rhythms were not consistent from verse to verse; some lines longer than others with more syllables and a different rhythm. However, the illustrations were quite nice.
February 18, 2017
The detailed illustrations rendered in blue and orange, breathtakingly depict a child's imagination. This gentle story in rhyme is about a young girl who populates an imaginary world with objects and creatures she names. For example, she would name her bed "nest." This is a wonderful book for children to explore the meaning in words. Stunning.
March 9, 2018
This is such a sweet book...brought tears to my eyes. Here's a little sample:
"If I had a little pond,
I would name it Wonder.
Wonder would show me beauty
above the water and under."
Awwwee... The illustrations are so touching as well, makes my heart happy.
"If I had a little pond,
I would name it Wonder.
Wonder would show me beauty
above the water and under."
Awwwee... The illustrations are so touching as well, makes my heart happy.
February 28, 2025
What a beauty. This book checks all of the boxes when I read to my son. It contains: beautiful artistry, lyrical writing, and a wonderful message that centers on love. Oh, and my son loves to pick it over a lot of different options. Absolutely no complaints.
April 7, 2017
A beautiful book to enjoy with younger children, sweet rhymes that feature many of the things I hope all children would have, and beautiful folk-art illustrations.
October 14, 2017
Whimsical with dreamy illustrations
March 4, 2024
"If I had a little book,
I would name it Friend.
Friend would go wherever I went,
our story would never end."
I would name it Friend.
Friend would go wherever I went,
our story would never end."
March 22, 2017
Warm and lovely illustrations accompany a heartfelt poem that will make you tear up at the end.
March 16, 2022
Sweet. Love the illustrations.
May 28, 2019
This is the most beautifully written and illustrated children's book I've read in a long time.
January 30, 2023
Art⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Story⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 6, 2017
Such a beautiful concept and gorgeous illustrations...but, sadly, the rhyming seemed forced and a little clunky.
February 20, 2017
A book that makes your heart feel warm and loved.
February 23, 2017
Super sweet book with beautiful illustrations. Look under the dustjacket!
My favorite part though was the author's dedication. It was to Debbie Alvarez a.k.a. The Styling Librarian. I love that those who've gone away are never truly gone as long as we keep them in our hearts and memory.
My favorite part though was the author's dedication. It was to Debbie Alvarez a.k.a. The Styling Librarian. I love that those who've gone away are never truly gone as long as we keep them in our hearts and memory.
February 27, 2017
Blargh. Down with bad, forced rhyming--rhymes that are created to fit the line and the rhyme--these stilted, awkward, stumbling meters begone! May you never limp across our children's book pages again! May your lovely sentiments never be pinned down under the weight of insipid, cliched TRIPE.
No child would enjoy this. Adults are gobbling this down. This is really bad. The illustrations are lovely, I'll give it that. BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS SOOOO BAD. Did the author never have a cat? My cats make me furious all the time, just because of their very nature and cattiness. And did the author not grow up with any siblings? Hello, that's so not how brothers and sisters act. *facepalm* Don't get me started on the chair page....
No child would enjoy this. Adults are gobbling this down. This is really bad. The illustrations are lovely, I'll give it that. BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS SOOOO BAD. Did the author never have a cat? My cats make me furious all the time, just because of their very nature and cattiness. And did the author not grow up with any siblings? Hello, that's so not how brothers and sisters act. *facepalm* Don't get me started on the chair page....
September 12, 2019
The text is absolutely dreadful. Every bit of it is contrived and juvenile - it's as if the author wrote the last line starting with a blank and then went back to fill in the blank with any word that rhymed with her final one. "If I had a little boat, I would name it Treasure. Treasure would make me glow inside, more than I could measure." Ick.
The illustrations have a bit of quality around the edges in a nice color scheme, but the dot-eyed figures drag it down.
In the end, the saccharine sentiments are just so much gloppy candy floss.
The illustrations have a bit of quality around the edges in a nice color scheme, but the dot-eyed figures drag it down.
In the end, the saccharine sentiments are just so much gloppy candy floss.
May 10, 2018
If I had a something I'd name it Subjunctive and make a little Platitude. With pretty / retro illustrations.
The text is a series of forced rhymes about the sorts of things you'd find in a a "Chicken Soup for the __________ Soul" picture book. These mini-poems are sugary wholesome and left me feeling woozy.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...
The text is a series of forced rhymes about the sorts of things you'd find in a a "Chicken Soup for the __________ Soul" picture book. These mini-poems are sugary wholesome and left me feeling woozy.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...
October 23, 2017
The story is sweet and the illustrations are beautiful.
February 3, 2017
There are days when you long to set your mind free. Today as the wind chill dipped into the single digits, the sun teased us by playing hide-and-seek with the clouds scurrying along the brilliant blue sky. When it shone shadows of dog and tree branches danced on the snowy surface. I found myself looking up wishing the clouds were kites with strings attached to my canine companion and I. Perhaps for some minutes they could have lifted us up, giving us a much grander view of the landscape.
It's important to look beyond the obvious. It's important to assign a more imaginative definition to the everyday things in our world. If I had a little dream (A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, February 7, 2017) written by Nina Laden with illustrations by Melissa Castrillon is filled with marvelous insights, a beautiful outlook on the ordinary, using the vision of a child.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
It's important to look beyond the obvious. It's important to assign a more imaginative definition to the everyday things in our world. If I had a little dream (A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, February 7, 2017) written by Nina Laden with illustrations by Melissa Castrillon is filled with marvelous insights, a beautiful outlook on the ordinary, using the vision of a child.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
October 1, 2019
Summary:
This book is about a little girl who mentions things she would want to have. She mentions places, siblings, objects, and even animals. She talks about what she would name the thing and what she would do if she had it or how it would make her feel. She rhymes the name of the thing or person with the effect it has on her.
Themes:
Love, dreams, possibilities.
Personal Response:
This was such an amazing book. The rhyme made it so interesting and easy to read and the illustrations are incredible because they are full of color and show the reader exactly what the little girl is describing.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to young children to read with their parents. This is because the rhyme is very interesting and could be a little easy for older children to understand. This could maybe be a bedtime story because it does end with the little girl talking about resting.
This book is about a little girl who mentions things she would want to have. She mentions places, siblings, objects, and even animals. She talks about what she would name the thing and what she would do if she had it or how it would make her feel. She rhymes the name of the thing or person with the effect it has on her.
Themes:
Love, dreams, possibilities.
Personal Response:
This was such an amazing book. The rhyme made it so interesting and easy to read and the illustrations are incredible because they are full of color and show the reader exactly what the little girl is describing.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to young children to read with their parents. This is because the rhyme is very interesting and could be a little easy for older children to understand. This could maybe be a bedtime story because it does end with the little girl talking about resting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews