December 2000

ALBIDARO AND THE MISCHIEVOUS DREAM Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator) New York: Phyllis Fogelman Books, 2000 40 pages, hardcover, $16.99 Reading level: Ages 4-8 ISBN: 0-8037-1987-6 Reviewed by Lynne Lamberg

The children of the world grow weary of having to do what their parents tell them. Their teddy bears concoct a solution: a dream that tells the children they can do what they want, when they want, without fear of punishment. But the dream grows mischievous. It visits animals, too, prompting pets to take off their leashes, unlock their cages, and push the covers off their tanks. Wild animals abandon the jungles and forests. They go to airports and get on jet planes and fly around the world. Soon, the elephant is out of its element, the tiger is drinking cider, and the llama is wearing pajamas. Dogs play baseball and penguins surf the Internet. The animals even dress up in the parents' best clothes and visit fancy restaurants. Things go wrong. The giraffe forgets to turn off the water in the shower. The rhino sits on the dishwasher and squashes it. The unhappy children start to cry. Albidaro, Guardian of Children, and Olara, Guardian of Animals, looking down on the world from the peak of a mountain veiled in clouds, must work some magic to get the animals back to their proper homes. The fanciful story and rich watercolors combine to provide a book children and parents will enjoy reading and looking at again and again.

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