cover image TEDDY BEAR DREAMS

TEDDY BEAR DREAMS

Donna Lynne Sava, , illus. by Scott Christian Sava. . ipicturebooks, $15.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-1-59019-927-5

Relayed in sing-song rhyming couplets, this uneven tale from a husband-and-wife team chronicles the nighttime adventures of Teddy Bear, who "flies into dreamland, where there's so much to do:/ Farming and riding and acting, all the night through." His dreams tap into fantasies popular with kids, as he imagines himself as an astronaut ("He sets up his equipment to study in space;/ his suit keeps him comfy and covers his face"), an actor ("He works on his lines late into the night,/ He learns every word, and then says them just right") and a superhero (" 'You saved me, Super-Teddy! Oh, what can I say?'/ 'Your safety is my thanks, now have a nice day' "). Doctor, baseball player and fireman are among the other roles in which the hero envisions himself. The verse's rhythm stumbles and the rhyme is usually uninspired. Framed by borders of electric hues, the artwork is rather inconsistent; some offer creative perspectives on the dreaming hero in action while others seem unfinished. For those interested in moving beyond the printed page, the book can be downloaded and read on-screen, per the publisher's mission. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)