As I typed the heading I suddenly realised I had reached my goal of 32 books within the year…..Yay!  I remember thinking when I first started, I didn’t think I would accomplish it, for one thing the blogging world seemed so intimidating…. but it’s amazing what you can do!  And I have been grateful for the encouragement the comments provide… thankyou.

I want to apologise for not posting quite so frequently of late as I have had an up and down period with being renched from my comfortable work place I have had for the past 39 years and this past two weeks settling into a new office with new staff as Manager, though daunting, with more travel time, the promotion, new friendships, and the respect and joy from the new staff and customers has helped me overcome my fears, that change often brings.  Also I had a nasty fall yesterday that didn’t help, but as the saying goes, “pick youself up and get back on….”   So with bandaged hand lets continue, shall we…

“Dreams”

Part of my posting name is dreamer, and am I a dreamer, oh boy yes. Day, night, in the car (while driving, *bows head in shame*) , watching television, sitting at the computer, reading, even at a friends house many years ago, when invited for dinner and watching a movie, (they are lovely and the conversation and movie was interesting,.. honest). I just tend to drift off sometimes without even realising I am doing it. Just wish my brain would signal my fingers to pick up a pen and make some notes about them. Lord I would have a thousand books published by now if it did. Some hilarious, most factual, of friends and people I know, places I have been to, bright vivid colours, transported back in time usually from anywhere between 1 hour to about 50years ago. Some don’t make sense but most do, many are heartbreaking, a realisation, a wish to fix or mend, always a better understanding and then there are some that are even erotic….who said that?*looks around* Then there are those that are ….. Well, like these…..

The Silliest Dream

By Mark Sommerset and Ingrid Berzins

I have reviewed another of Mark’s books earlier… see here..https://thepatientdreamer.com/2011/04/09/book-reading-challenge-book-12/

And had always hoped to eventually get around to reviewing this one. Again it is typically rhythmic and rhymes, told in first person of a silly dream as a child is drifting off to sleep. Feeling themselves drifting up high above, through all seasons, day and night, it touches softly on loss. Silly it maybe, but it has that warm snuggle up feeling to it, thanks to Ingrid’s beautiful whispy painted illustrations and Marks clever text.

Map of Dreams

By Uri Shulevitz

Some of Uri ‘s stories are based on his childhood memories of World War II and pre war times in Poland. In this story as a young child hungry, his father disappears one day only to return with , instead of food, a map. He was furious knowing he would have to go to bed again hungry. When his father put the huge map of the world up the child became fascinated by the different countries. Sitting in front of it he would dream of being carried off to these far away places of beauty, far away places from the hunger, war and misery, he knew. He realised eventually, his father had been wise, even if it meant they still had to go hungry.

I discovered upon reading this book that Uri was born in Warsaw, Poland, a country I had only briefly visited many years ago. Even then I realised the tough times these people must have endured and still were. A Caldecott Medal winner, he is known as one of the most distinguished picture book creators in the US.

Reading Book Challenge