A giddy sense of possibility permeates this enchanting wordless story. Valério (My Book of Birds) opens with an overhead view of more than a dozen homes, clustered in a field of supernaturally green grass underneath an inky night sky. Zooming in brings readers closer to one home, where a dog and chicken sleep outside, and into the bedroom of a girl asleep in her bed, a chicken doll in one arm and a book (this one) in the other. A page turn finds the girl transformed into a giant white wolf that soars out the window and then bounds across the grass. A chicken and a deer join up with the wolf, and together they run, howl at the heavens, and pluck a giant star from the sky, which sets the girl-s bedroom aglow with celestial light after the adventure is done. Dwelling in images of sinuous animals, sweeping landscapes, and the sheer joy of running for the sake of running, Valério-s paint and pencil artwork almost vibrates with the idea that not even the sky is the limit in one-s dreams. Ages 4-up. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 1 A youngster's imagination soars to the stars in this stunningly illustrated wordless picture book. Tucked into bed with a book in one hand and a stuffed chicken in the other, a girl dozes off, transforms into a willowy canine creature, and springs out of the open window for a fanciful adventure. The protagonist is soon joined by two traveling companionsa chicken from the backyard coop and a majestic antlered animaland all three gleefully bound across the nighttime landscape. Spotting a bright beacon in a twinkle-filled sky, they work together to snatch the star and then return to their starting points, the canine critter leaping back through the window with starburst clasped in mouth. A page turn shows the sleeping girl, her room now star-strewn and aglow with warm light. Featuring lithe, robust animals that stretch across simply drawn backdrops, the acrylic paint and color pencil illustrations are inundated with imagination-empowering possibility. Images of the three figures reoccur in different incarnations (on the cover of a book, on a lampshade, as a weather vane), encouraging readers to flip pages back and forth, seek out details, and construct their own narratives. VERDICT Perfect for one-on-one or small group sharing, this is an eye-pleasing and dream-dazzling delight for bedtime or anytime.— Joy Fleishhacker , School Library Journal