It's time to sleep; it's time to dream.When it's time for bed, get ready for a visit from the Nice Dream Truck, bringing a nearly endless supply of possible dreams guaranteed to open the mind to wonders. Ferry employs lilting verse in second person to encourage little dreamers to choose their nighttime visions. They might be big dreams or small, funny or a bit scary-nothing is impossible. Perhaps there are puppies, princesses, dragons, whales, birthdays, magic, or music. You can be an astronaut or a rock star, a firefighter or a doctor. The use of the word nice in relation to these dreams does not match the enthusiasm and excitement of the descriptions, which are more fantastic than that prosaic word conveys. Barrager's bright, busy illustrations carry out the visions with joyful delight in dreamscapes that float and soar. The title vehicle is decked out as an ice cream truck, replete with a giant strawberry cone on the top, and driven by a brown-skinned "girl with stars in her eyes" and purple pigtails who is ready to serve up your dream of choice. The ice cream metaphor is carried throughout the text and illustrations, comparing choices of scoops and toppings to selecting the dreams. The cast of dreaming children is diverse in race and gender, and they are completely comfortable with one another. It is soothing, uplifting, and definitely upbeat but perhaps a bit too sugar-sweet. Grown-ups will find much to discuss with their little ones about their dreams.An inventive and charming bedtime story. (Picture book. 3-6)

Three round-faced children of varying ethnicities are tucked into a large bed, each with shut eyes and wide smiles, as this picture book opens. A page later, a brown-skinned, purple-haired girl with -stars in her eyes- makes her entrance in the fantastical Nice Dream Truck-a floating aquamarine affair sporting an enormous ice cream topper and rearview mirror dice-which serves up sweet dreams in the form of elaborate ice cream treats, pictured in myriad colors and topped with syrups and stars. From -dreams about summer/ and dreams about snow. Dreams about puppies/ wherever you go- to fantasies of flight, whales, and jelly bean scales, Barrager employs flurries of pinks, purples, and blues in digital illustrations that bring Ferry-s creative rhymes to life. The children at last -snuggle down deep- atop a fluffy white cloud, ending their dream with a satisfied smile. A sweet bedtime romp with commercial appeal. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

K-Gr 2 Three children of various skin tones are tucked into a single bed and set off on a fantastic adventure of their own choosing as the Nice Dream Truck arrives with a "girl with stars in her eyes" offering myriad dreams to scoop up like ice cream and enjoy all night long. This bedtime story encourages children to see themselves as the makers of their own dreams and to choose story lines they might not have considered for themselves. The illustrations are vibrant and confectionery sweet with bold colors and energetic lines. This could also be useful in classrooms as an introduction to genres, given that the dreams run the gamut from pure fantasy to sports and science fiction. Ideal for bedtime, this tale might especially resonate with children who have a hard time falling asleep or who are troubled by bad dreams. VERDICT Move over, Sandman! The Nice Dream Truck has something perfect to dish up for every dreamer. John Scott, Friends Sch. of Baltimore