"Just a Dream" -Chris Van Allsburg

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Book Title: 

Just a Dream

Author/Illustrator: 

Chris Van Allsburg

Type of Book: 

Picture Book

Age Level: 

4-8

My Star Rating:

 *****

Summary

• Young boy Walter has no understanding of the environment, and fails to see the problem with trashing it. Through a dream, Walter is shown a future time, when the world is no longer beautiful and exciting.

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My Thoughts

• I absolutely love when books are able to develop appreciation and awareness in their readers, and that is exactly what this book does. In the form of a dream, this book teaches the importance of taking care of the environment. I was thrilled to see how well the narrative art reinforced the text. The illustrations are stunning and the storyline is remarkable. I thought this book taught the very important lesson of conservation. By showing the negative affects caused by littering and waste, this book is a great tool in teaching children how to be conscious and aware of their surroundings, and how better to prepare for the future.

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 How to use in the Classroom?

• This book would be a great read aloud for Earth Day. What an incredible book to use as a tool in teaching children how to respect and take care of the Earth. After reading this book aloud, as a class, the children could be prompted to think of their own ways to positively contribute to the environment. Perhaps, as a class, a group service project could be planned and performed, such as, picking up litter on the school grounds, or donating money to plant a class tree. The involvement of a classroom would be a great way to model environmental appreciation, while also allowing the children to feel like they made a difference in their community. This book could also be used as a tool to have the children dream up what they would like their future to look like, and maybe write a futuristic story of their own, helping them to go through the writing process, while also aiding in their futuristic awareness. 

More Resources

1. For more information about the book and teaching ideas, Click Here!
2. For more about the Author/Illustrator, Click Here. 
3. For more information about Earth Day, Click Here or Click Here.