The Wish Factory

Oliver has a recurring dream about a horrible monster. But one night a cloud comes instead of the nightmare and carries Oliver away to the Wish Factory. Oliver brings a wish back home with him and when he dreams of the monster he uses the wish to make the monster small and pathetic.

PreSchool-Grade 1-- Oliver, whose sleep is interrupted by recurring nightmares, dreams of a visit to the Wish Factory where he is granted a wish that diminishes the monster. Ten sentences, several of which are spread over two or three pages, are pedantic and boring; six begin with "and," "so," "then," and "but." There is also an overabundant use of "and" within the sentences. While there is always a need for books about nightmares and how to control them, others have presented the experience better. To its credit, this large -sized book can easily be used with a group. It is also an acceptable discussion-starter for one-on-one sharing. The illustrations offer a variety of details for children to pore over. However, the total visual quality is flat, and several of the illustrations suggest a conglomeration of styles, particularly those of Steven Kellogg and Martin Handford. Even the wish-maker's assistants are Seussian in design. The best bet is still Mercer Mayer's There's a Nightmare in My Closet (Dial, 1968). --Carolyn Vang Schuler, Monroe County Library System, Rochester, NY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.