l to r: Monique Gray Smith and Nicole Neidhardt

Dreaming Alongside is a sumptuous picture book that invites young readers to follow dragonfly on an adventure in dreaming. With visits to both urban and natural settings, readers learn about taking inspiration from their surroundings. Whether at a construction site, at the edge of the ocean, or even at a computer, dragonfly invites readers to daydream and to imagine the possibilities that lie on the other side of our dreams.

Monique Gray Smith’s narrative encourages young readers to take the time to gaze out of a bus window, imagining the places they might visit, or to roll around on a bed of moss and simply feel at peace. And while daydreams may be big, such as imagining the buildings you might construct, there is no daydream too small – helping others to feel safe is just as important.

Credit: Monique Gray Smith, Nicole Neidhardt, and Orca Book Publishers.

Nicole Neidhardt’s colourful illustrations are a visual delight and sure to engage children (even those too young to read this book themselves). The pictures are inspiring in their own right – the view of a crow looking down through the boughs of a cedar tree, a sparkling digital world that exists only in the artist’s imagination, and even something as simple as feet standing on the pebbles of a riverbed. Dragonfly certainly knows where one might like to dream alongside!

An author’s note at the end of the book outlines the importance of dreams and daydreaming for finding gratitude, and as inspiration for us to grow and contribute to the world around us. She touches on the sacred nature of some dreams and also the idea of dreams as medicine, an important concept many readers may not have considered before. While this is a picture book intended for children, likely many adults who find themselves reading this book aloud will also take some inspiration from the idea of slowing down and paying attention to their surroundings and to their dreams.