What do you think?
Rate this book
Night Garden: Poems From The World Of Dreams
Offers a beautifully illustrated collection of fifteen poems for young readers.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
32 people want to read
About the author
Janet S. Wong
49 books31 followersJanet S. Wong was born in Los Angeles, and grew up in Southern and Northern California. As part of her undergraduate program at UCLA, she spent her junior year in France, studying art history at the Université de Bordeaux. When she returned from France, Janet founded the UCLA Immigrant Children's Art Project, a program focused on teaching refugee children to express themselves through art.
After graduating from UCLA, summa cum laude, with a B.A. in History and College Honors, Janet then obtained her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she was a director of the Yale Law and Technology Association and worked for New Haven Legal Aid. After practicing corporate and labor law for a few years for GTE and Universal Studios Hollywood, she made a dramatic career change—choosing to write for young people instead. Her successful switch from law to children’s literature has been the subject of several articles and television programs, most notably an O Magazine article, a "Remembering Your Spirit" segment on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and the Fine Living Channel’s "Radical Sabbatical."
Janet's poems and stories have been featured in many textbooks and anthologies, and also in some more unusual venues. Poems from Behind the Wheel have been performed on a car-talk radio show. "Albert J. Bell" from A Suitcase of Seaweed was selected to appear on 5,000 subway and bus posters as part of the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority's "Poetry in Motion" program, and was later highlighted on the Hallmark Channel’s "New Morning" show. And, in April 2003, Janet was one of five children’s authors invited to read at The White House Easter Egg Roll.
Janet and her books have received numerous awards and honors, such as the International Reading Association's "Celebrate Literacy Award" for exemplary service in the promotion of literacy, and the prestigious Stone Center Recognition of Merit, given by the Claremont Graduate School. Janet also has been appointed to two terms on the Commission on Literature of the National Council of Teachers of English.
Janet currently resides near Princeton, NJ, with her husband Glenn and her son Andrew.
After graduating from UCLA, summa cum laude, with a B.A. in History and College Honors, Janet then obtained her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she was a director of the Yale Law and Technology Association and worked for New Haven Legal Aid. After practicing corporate and labor law for a few years for GTE and Universal Studios Hollywood, she made a dramatic career change—choosing to write for young people instead. Her successful switch from law to children’s literature has been the subject of several articles and television programs, most notably an O Magazine article, a "Remembering Your Spirit" segment on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and the Fine Living Channel’s "Radical Sabbatical."
Janet's poems and stories have been featured in many textbooks and anthologies, and also in some more unusual venues. Poems from Behind the Wheel have been performed on a car-talk radio show. "Albert J. Bell" from A Suitcase of Seaweed was selected to appear on 5,000 subway and bus posters as part of the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority's "Poetry in Motion" program, and was later highlighted on the Hallmark Channel’s "New Morning" show. And, in April 2003, Janet was one of five children’s authors invited to read at The White House Easter Egg Roll.
Janet and her books have received numerous awards and honors, such as the International Reading Association's "Celebrate Literacy Award" for exemplary service in the promotion of literacy, and the prestigious Stone Center Recognition of Merit, given by the Claremont Graduate School. Janet also has been appointed to two terms on the Commission on Literature of the National Council of Teachers of English.
Janet currently resides near Princeton, NJ, with her husband Glenn and her son Andrew.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 25, 2012
Genre: Poetry
Summary: Night Garden is a collection of 15 poems that portray many different images and emotions of dreaming.
Critique: A. Relevance of themes
B. This collection of poems is simply brilliant. Wong has an amazing ability to relate her personal experiences to the reader through vivid imagery and simplicity of poem structure.
C. For example, Wong relates to children's dreams by portraying images of flying, falling, reuniting with an old friend, and speaking an unknown language fluently. I know that I have had dreams containing all of these themes and I am sure many children have too and have a hard time understanding the meaning. Wong helps children understand their dreams through her poetry through beautifully simplistic language that children can understand.
Curriculum Connection: These poems could be shared with 2nd-5th grade and beyond. I think these poems would be wonderful to share with children during a poetry unit with a possibly theme of dreams. Dreams are a wonderful jumping off point for beginning poets because it allows students to be completely creative. Students could share a memorable dream with a small group and create a short poem, a haiku even, describing their dream or just one part of their dream or even just an emotion from their dream. Poems could be shared with the class or added to a poem portfolio.
Summary: Night Garden is a collection of 15 poems that portray many different images and emotions of dreaming.
Critique: A. Relevance of themes
B. This collection of poems is simply brilliant. Wong has an amazing ability to relate her personal experiences to the reader through vivid imagery and simplicity of poem structure.
C. For example, Wong relates to children's dreams by portraying images of flying, falling, reuniting with an old friend, and speaking an unknown language fluently. I know that I have had dreams containing all of these themes and I am sure many children have too and have a hard time understanding the meaning. Wong helps children understand their dreams through her poetry through beautifully simplistic language that children can understand.
Curriculum Connection: These poems could be shared with 2nd-5th grade and beyond. I think these poems would be wonderful to share with children during a poetry unit with a possibly theme of dreams. Dreams are a wonderful jumping off point for beginning poets because it allows students to be completely creative. Students could share a memorable dream with a small group and create a short poem, a haiku even, describing their dream or just one part of their dream or even just an emotion from their dream. Poems could be shared with the class or added to a poem portfolio.
October 21, 2021
The "Night Garden" is by Janet Wing and is illustrated by Julie Paschkis. On every page, there is a poem written on a different dream. I personally love this book a lot and I fell in love with it right away mainly because of the illustrations. Before I understood the meaning of the poems, the illustrations introduced and told a story of their own, that could be understood and interpreted by anyone. The poem was written in prose the words in the poem used were brilliant.
October 30, 2024
What does a dream feel like? The poems and illustrations in Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams capture exactly how it feels to be in a dream. NCTE Excellence in Poetry Award-Winner Janet Wong writes beautifully and wistfully, sprinkling in references to different cultures in her poems. Illustrator Julie Paschkis creates intricate and dream-like spreads where the pages mirror each other on each side of the gutter, creating a colorful and immersive experience for readers. This book of poetry sparks imagination and creativity, making it a perfect addition for your shelf at home or your classroom!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2022
This poetry book by Janet Wong walks you through a collection of 15 poems about dreams that range from strange, beautiful, common, and dark. The NCTE award-winning author uses innovative language in each of the poems when describing each of the dreams. The language is descriptive enough that you can picture what is going on in your head while you are reading the verses. Julie Paschkis, the illustrator, uses the craft of gouache, which is like watercolor, to create the illustrations in this book. This book would be a great reference to use when teaching students how to write descriptively!
November 25, 2013
The Night Garden, by Janet S. Wong Illustrated by Julie Paschkis is a book filled with poems about a world of dreams. On every page is a different poem written about a person's dream. Followed by the poems are creative whimsical illustrations that connect to the text. Each image created by the illustrator provides the reader with a thought or image that the reader may not have been exposed to before. This form of literature to me is a perfect example of creativity that should be introduced to young readers and I guarantee it will be enjoyed by everyone. I personally love this book a lot because it was the first poetry picture book that was introduced to me as a child, and I fell in love with it right away mainly because of the illustrations. Before I understood the meaning of the poems, the illustrations introduced and told a story of its own, that could be understood and interpreted by anyone. This book was my first true dose of imagination as a child and an inspiring introduction to whimsical thinking.I still carry this mindset with me today and without this book I probably would have never found a deep appreciation for poetry. With this being said, I highly recommend this book to everyone.
April 2, 2012
A aural treat for the ear (these poems beg to be read aloud, even if you are sitting in a big green chair in your living room all by yourself) and a visual feast for the eyes.
A beautiful collection of poems just right for spring and the approach of National Poetry Month:
Deep in the earth
a tangle of roots
sends up
green shoots
and dreams grow
wild,
dreams go wild
like dandelion weeds,
feathery heads
alive
with seeds--
from "Night Garden"
Many wonderful, gentle poems of sleeping and dreaming. "Dog Dreams" reminds me of Mia, our family dog who often whimpers and whines in her sleep calling after the bunnies that always seem to beat her to the fence line.
The collection ends with a poignant piece, "There Is a Place" that celebrates the stories we keep wihin us.
NIGHT GARDEN would make a nice introduction to poetry and verse, and Janet Wong's soothing voice in the pieces would be most welcome during that time of the night when we are winding down.
A beautiful collection of poems just right for spring and the approach of National Poetry Month:
Deep in the earth
a tangle of roots
sends up
green shoots
and dreams grow
wild,
dreams go wild
like dandelion weeds,
feathery heads
alive
with seeds--
from "Night Garden"
Many wonderful, gentle poems of sleeping and dreaming. "Dog Dreams" reminds me of Mia, our family dog who often whimpers and whines in her sleep calling after the bunnies that always seem to beat her to the fence line.
The collection ends with a poignant piece, "There Is a Place" that celebrates the stories we keep wihin us.
NIGHT GARDEN would make a nice introduction to poetry and verse, and Janet Wong's soothing voice in the pieces would be most welcome during that time of the night when we are winding down.
December 10, 2012
1. This book belongs in the junior poetry genre.
2. This book is a book of poems about dreams. Wong's writing transports the readers into a dream world, where time and space don't matter. While dreams can sometimes be scary, Wong's gentle language is soothing, which invokes thoughtfulness and imagination rather than fear.
3. The area for critique is theme. While the main theme is very obvious, dreams, there are underlying themes that I think are woven in very artfully. Wong discusses friendship and perhaps death, peace (Life is but a dream), and, of course, culture and differences (illustrations). Wong's use of theme is unexpected and makes this a great read for both adults and children.
4. This book can be integrated into the curriculum in the following ways:
English/Reading: poetry, theme
2. This book is a book of poems about dreams. Wong's writing transports the readers into a dream world, where time and space don't matter. While dreams can sometimes be scary, Wong's gentle language is soothing, which invokes thoughtfulness and imagination rather than fear.
3. The area for critique is theme. While the main theme is very obvious, dreams, there are underlying themes that I think are woven in very artfully. Wong discusses friendship and perhaps death, peace (Life is but a dream), and, of course, culture and differences (illustrations). Wong's use of theme is unexpected and makes this a great read for both adults and children.
4. This book can be integrated into the curriculum in the following ways:
English/Reading: poetry, theme
February 21, 2012
This was an amazing book! The poem "Talking in Her Sleep" was hilarious, and the pictures were beautiful yet strange! The poem "Nightmare" had many creepy pictures and the poem was amazing! At the very end, the poem "There Is a Place" made me look at dreams in an entirely different way!I used to think dreams were just things that happened, that you couldn't control, now I think of dreams as worlds that you can shape into whatever you want. This is one of the best poem books I have ever read!
Read
March 5, 2016This book is adorable! I personally liked reading this book because its interesting to think about all the different dreams we have. This book is a collection of poems about dreams. It even has a poem in it about how dogs dream! You could use this to study poetry or simply for enjoyment inside the classroom as a read aloud. Poetry.
October 19, 2016
A collection of poems about a persons various dreams. Designed as a book for children. I didnt find the poems very engaging, I doubt many kids would be interested in the poetry. The illustrations are nice. Overall I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
November 6, 2017
I loved the poems in this book!! I thought they did a great job of describing what it's like to dream. Sometimes dreams are about fun things like flying and other times they are about not fun things like having people take things from you. The illustrations in this book were beautiful.
October 27, 2009
These poems and illustrations evoke the surreal world of dreams.
March 17, 2024
Brilliant and beautiful, with illustrations to match.
February 25, 2016
Night Garden is a book of poetry. Self-esteem is a theme found in some of the poems and it could be used in a classrooms of 2nd-5th graders.
October 31, 2023
Are you looking for meaningful poems to perform a read aloud to your students? "Night Garden" has plenty of remarkable poems for students to dive into. Each poem covers what one might encounter in a dream, from lost loved ones to nightmares. These lovely poems are meant to entertain and capture readers. The setup on each spread consists of beautiful, vibrant illustrations and text in verse. While reading each poem, students may find themselves relating back to their dreams and possibly having similar experiences. The poems are made for students ages 7-10, and would be a great addition to a classroom.
February 16, 2025
I love reading children's poetry to my kids which is why I got this book. I found it at a second-hand bookstore.
When I first read the book, none of the poems appealed to me. I found it altogether strange and the 'dreams' described didn't really resonate with my personal experiences. But my children loved the book and they kept insisting I read it to them again and again. After a while, the poems started to grow on me. Now it is one of my favourite books.
The illustrations are magnificient. They match the poems well and inspire imagination.
When I first read the book, none of the poems appealed to me. I found it altogether strange and the 'dreams' described didn't really resonate with my personal experiences. But my children loved the book and they kept insisting I read it to them again and again. After a while, the poems started to grow on me. Now it is one of my favourite books.
The illustrations are magnificient. They match the poems well and inspire imagination.
October 1, 2022
This book was about different poems that were dreams. All the poems were very different about dreams that people were having. One was based in a garden another was based on the person having the dreams that they were flying. I do not really like poems so I do not think this book is for me but the pictures in the book was so pretty. I would recommend this book to someone that likes poems. Book was published in 2000
March 24, 2023
The Night Garden written by Janet Wong and illustrated by Julie Paschkis is a collection of many different poems. Not only were the poems worded to make you relate but illustrations make you really feel the poems. This is picture book is fiction and would best be for fluent readers but some beginners. This would be a great book to read when you have some free time, reading one poem every once in a while. I loved this collection and would recommend it to anyone!
November 5, 2019
Favorite poem - "There Is a Place" (28)
Read
November 22, 2021This book is full of little poems. Some of the poems are filled with light and beautiful things while others may be a little more dark.
Read
January 2, 2022Night Garden is a beautiful book of poetry, Wong’s magical text and Paschkis’ illustrations the perfect compliment to each other. It’s written for elementary age kids, but you need not limit yourself to sharing it with your local eight year old, for it’s a beautiful work, tender and magical, the lines between reality and fantasy blurring as they do in our dreams. My full review is available here: https://essentiallyanerd.wordpress.co...
November 17, 2014
The beautiful, detailed, flowing artwork matches the tone of the poetry nicely.
May 4, 2016
Evocative poems and the illustrations capture dreaming perfectly.
May 19, 2016
Masterful, elegant and gratifying, the poems marvelously showcase the snapshots of daily life.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews