Just a dream

Chris Van Allsburg's wonderful illustrations and gently chiding lesson about protecting the environment make an important addition to children's literature that is also very enjoyable to read since it is told with characteristic humor and warmth. What changes would you make in your lifestyle if

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you, like the story's young Walter could see into the future and discover the ramifications of your actions? Walter is fortunate to travel into the future to receive his "wake-up call" while we must use our conscious minds to create a happy future one act at a time as we live in the now. This book can be our dreamland trip into the future and help us make needed changes.

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Very good book about how a boy grows a conscientiousness about being green. He dreams about all of the horrible things that will happen to planet earth is it is not taken care of. One of the last illustrations was a little frustrating, but other than that, it was an enjoybable read.

This is an example of realistic fiction, I think. It might be sort of fantasy because it talks about the future and what it's like, but it's just a dream so I would say realistic fiction. It talks about real issues and things people can do to help the environment, which is very relevant now.

This book is a fantasy fiction book. The art is hand drawn pictures done by Chris Van Allsburg. The book is about a little boy who is a litterbug. He has a dream about going into the future, and he saw what the earth would be like if everyone littered. He did not like what he saw so he stopped

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littering. The reading level is third or fourth grade. The curricular connection is science and helping the environment because the book is about littering.

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Well written book about a boys dream of the future, and the take over of pollution. The book sends a message for the future generation to be earth friendly and help clean up and keep the world clean, before we are overrun with garbage.

This was an excellent book about being environmentally friendly! In the book the little boy litters and never recycles, but one night he watched a movie about the future. He thought the movie was great and he went to bed thinking he would dream about flying cars, but ended up seeing the future the

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way it was headed if he continued to be careless. His street was filled with trash, all the trees were being cut down, and their were almost no fish in the see. When he woke up he realized that he could change his actions and change the outcome. The next night he dreams about the future again, and he likes what he sees.

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Just A Dream was probably my first exposure to Chris Van Allsburg, I have been a follower of his work since and have never been disappointed.

I really enjoyed reading the book, "Just a Dream." I would read this book to third, fourth, and fifth graders. the book begins at the little boys birthday party and someone gives him a tree as a present. He did not understand why someone would give him a tree. Well he falls asleep and his bed takes

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him for a ride around the world and shows him how much pollution and smog is in the world. When it gets to the end of the dream he sees his tree that has grown so big and is helping with the pollution in the world. When he woke up he realized why it was important to get a tree for his birthday. This book would be a great asset to a teacher who is teaching a lesson on the environment. It explains to children the importance of trees and keeping the environment clean. This book also lets children use their imagination. I would recomend this book to any teacher.

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One interesting surprise is for children to find Fritz the dog who is hidden cleverly as a tiny hood ornament on the semi truck aiming for Walter's bed. Great book to use for teaching material for examining how story elements (characters, plot, and setting).

Profound transformation of a child from a litterbug into a conscious person who appreciates the beauty and importance of nature. Great illustrations, simple text.

Very good book to use with introducing the concept of how to care for the planet and the natural resources. This is almost a "haunting" book with the possiblities that could arise if we don't do something to help nature survive.

A great book about a boy who learns through his dreams to change his environmentally unfriendly ways. When I first picked out this book, I did it skimming on the pictures & actually didn't know what it was about. I was pleasantly surprised that this is a book you can read to any child to help put

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our planet's future well-being into perspective.

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I was surprised to find this children's book had a "green" message about recycling and being kind to the environment! It's a great message, to be sure. I guess I've grown accustomed to the Chris Van Allsburg books that take me into a fantasy world of sorts. My favorite illustrations in this one

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were the big, two-pagers without any writing!

I keep going between 2 and 3 stars on this one.

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This book was a disappointment. Accustomed to the author's incredible stories and illustrations, when compared to others, this fell flat.

A boy who litters and does not help in taking care of his environment, dreams that his bed is floating above areas where the environment is destroyed, including

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finding a hotel at the top of Mt. Everest.

I don't do well with stories that are preachy. I'm always left wondering if these folk practice what they preach.

Perhaps I'm too critical, but I simply react to those who tell others what to do. While I use energy saving bulbs, politicians run their private jets and limos for hours, sitting on the runway or outside of the hotel after they gave a speech about an inconvenient truth.

Please do not think I believe Allsburg does this, I'm simply saying that my person reaction colors my thoughts and feelings about the book.

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I loved this book for many reasons. The first reason is because the author pushes the readers to think about the consequences of our world if we do not take care of it. For example, the author shows the outcome of a world that has been polluted. Another reason I liked this books is because of the

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illustrations that appear in the boy's dream. These images are captivating and realistic. The images are strong and draw the reader into the story. A final reason I like the story is the message it sends to the reader. It has a strong message which makes the reader look in their own life to evaluate their effects on the environment. I would recommend this book to all readers who want to learn more about helping the environment.

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I would read this book with third graders. This book is not only good for synthesizing, but it also helps teach ways to save the environment. Promoting recycling and respecting the earth.

Walter is simply not an environmentalist: he’s a litterbug who sees no reason to sort trash and recycle. While he is watching a television show about the future, his next-door neighbor, Rose, is watering her birthday present: a tree. Walter thinks it’s the most ridiculous present he’s ever

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seen.

Walter wishes he could visit the future, and, one night, his dream comes true. But the future is not the one he envisioned. There are no personal airplanes to zip around in, no robots to take out the trash, no machines to create his favorite jelly doughnuts by the thousands. The future is not at all what he’d expected. But his new perspective on the future gives him a new dream for his own future.

Despite the vibrant illustrations in this children’s picture book, the story falls flat with its unexpected [and patently unrealistic] ending. Children do need to learn to care for the planet, to appreciate nature, to protect the trees. But this little story, with its glib back-to-the-past solution, fails to make the lesson one children will take to heart.

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This book is a story in which many people relate, Walter, does not believe in recycling materials. After a dream, he changes his main about the way he sees his future related to the environment. This book will be great to use as synthesizing strategy because it has an unpredicted ending.
I would

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use this book for my 1st and 3rd grades.

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Walter doesn't like recycling and isn't the least bit concerned about the environment. That is until one night he dreams about the future, and it is nothing like what he thought it would be. There are smoke stacks everywhere, garbage stacked up taller than houses, trees being cut down for no good

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reason and hotels being built on top of Mount Everest. This is when Walter decides that he is going to start taking care of the environment. This is a great book to use to show children that recycling is a good thing to do to keep the environment clean.

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This book talks about what would happen to the Earth if we don't take care of it. The illustration and words really do a wonderful job of making children think.
age 3 and up