Color seems to play a major role in my choices for childrens' books. Once again, color drew me to picking up Bebe's Bad Dream and rifling through its pages. I was amazed by the illustrations. I have never seen such a colorful book. Its contrast between the cheery, brilliant colors during the story's daytime and shadowy, flashlight nighttime is really interesting to see. The pictures look like something a young child would draw in art class or doodle on the side of his notebook, making it somewhat more playful and consequently, something kids can relate to very easily. The illustrations carried this story to the next level for me.
While I was reading the book, I kept catching myself imagining how I would read it out loud to a group of kids. It would lend itself nicely to an oral reading in an early classroom. There are numerous opportunities where the teacher would be able to stop and check for understanding in a covert kind of way. "What do you think will happen next?" seemed a very fitting and fun question during the book. This allows the teacher to ensure that the students are engaged with the story and gives the kids a chance to use their imagination while simultaneously testing for comprehension. While reading aloud, I would also be sure to develop very distinct character voices. Bebe, her annoying brother, and her mom are all very different from one another, thus presenting an easy opportunity to make the reading exciting orally.
Bad dreams seemed to be a major topic during my childhood. In school, we were always encouraged to discuss and write about our bad dreams. Bad dreams, then, are a very suitable topic for young kids. This story shows kids that they can overcome them. This would be a fun one to keep in the classroom library.
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