NIGHT GARDEN/POEMS FROM THE WORLD OF DREAMS

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Wong, Janet S. 2000. NIGHT GARDEN/POEMS FROM THE WORLD OF DREAMS. Illustrator Julie Paschkis. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0689826176

PLOT SUMMARY
This is not a book with a plot but rather a theme about dreams and in particular dreams of the night. In other words, a book about dreams we dream while sleeping not while we are daydreaming. The collection of fifteen poems run the gamut from the unusual to the sweet and loving to the bizarre. Eventhough the fifteen poems are on a variety topics the one thing that twines them together is the fact that all address various issues that we all deal with no matter our age or status in life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book holds meaning for readers for all of ages but particularly for children. The vivid emotions, experiences, and imagery that Ms. Wong brings to the written word takes the poem to new heights and helps young children deal with all the mixed-up, funny, unusual, and scary thoughts and feelings they have about life that come out through dreaming.

The writing is in free-verse form and the collection of poems as a whole as well as the each poem individually are in consonance with each other. Ms. Wong and Ms. Paschkis work well together as a team as is evidenced in the poem entitled Talking in Her Sleep which states in part "....red in the face like a tomato" and Ms. Paschkis water color illustration shows a girl in her nightgown with a big red tomato for a head. In The Ones They Loved the Most Ms. Wong presents us with her skill of using simile when she states that "...and those sweet memories will stick like cotton candy." And of course we cannot complete a review of a book by Ms. Wong without mentioning the use she makes of the five senses. The reader cannot help but see, smell, hear, taste, and touch the stream and fish in their mind's eye while enjoying the poem Gently Down the Stream.

REVIEW EXCERPT
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Even poems about nightmares and anxieties are couched in gentle language that evokes wonder and thoughtfulness rather than fear."


CONNECTIONS
Other books of poetry by Janet S. Wong include:
KNOCK ON WOOD: POEMS ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS ISBN 0689855125
TWIST: YOGA POEMS ISBN 0689873948 (Ms. Paschkis illustrated this one)
THE RAINBOW HAND: POEMS ABOUT MOTHERS AND CHILDREN ISBN 0689821484

A few other books where Julie Paschkis is the illustrator include:
HAPPY ADOPTION DAY ISBN 0316603236
GLASS SLIPPER, GOLD SANDAL: A WORLDWIDE CINDERELLA
ISBN 080507953X
THROUGH GEORGIA'S EYES ISBN 0805077405