The Dreamer: (Inspirational Story, Picture Book for Children, Books About Perseverance)

by Il Sung Na

Overview

Even pigs can learn to fly: Once, there was a pig who admired birds. But he could never join them. Or could he? Thus begins the journey of a pig with big dreams, and the perseverance to make them come true. He develops flight plans, builds experimental contraptions, and has far-flung adventures, but at the end of the day, his favorite thing to do is sit and watch for those he loves best: birds. Il Sung Na creates a world at once whimsical and aspirational, where anything is possible and, yes, even pigs can learn to fly.

Il Sung Na received Honorable Mention, Best Concept Book for The Opposite Zoo by The Huffington Post and Amazon.com named The Opposite Zoo one of the Best Children's Books of 2016.

• Teaches young children that anything is possible
• Encourages kids to dream big and set goals
• Inspires readers with the message that dreams can come true

Anyone who likes Dreamers and Bee a Dreamer will love this heartwarming story.

• Beautiful gift for children who love animals and picture books
• Parents and teachers will love the happy vibe of this book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452156088
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	09/11/2018
Pages:	52
Sales rank:	479,274
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Il Sung Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2001, he moved to London to pursue a BFA in illustration and animation at Kingston University, where he discovered a passion for children's books. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri.

Editorial Reviews

…I love the illustrations. Out of Il Sung Na's brush flow the most wonderful shapes and colors; his designs land on the page as elegant abstractions (beautifully using the white of the page as shape and color), yet what registers most are vivid, personable characters…I'm happy to have spent 52 pages with [Pig and friends], and I think children will be, too.

The New York Times Book Review - Paul O. Zelinsky

07/23/2018
Picture books about land animals who want to fly abound, and they often end in failure. In this story by Na (Bird, Balloon, Bear), a mint-green, bird-admiring pig who wants to fly succeeds, eventually. His first flying machine, a sparsely feathered affair, doesn’t work, and his second jettisons him. His friends—a pink elephant, a variety of birds—pore over the pig’s plans and offer suggestions. “So he listened./ And modified./ Momentum built.” His next attempt, a biplane, soars, and so does the rocket that comes after it. Hot air balloons and personal copters soon float among the city buildings as others join in. The pig has created his own zeitgeist, but he continues to be himself—a pig who admires birds. In Na’s visual storytelling, expanses of white space give way to populated spreads as the project progresses, and the interplay of colors (the pig’s indigo pants and scarlet shoes against the gentle background) add drama. The analysis of the pig’s failures, complete with blackboard calculations, contributes to an atmosphere of cool rationality; success requires quiet judgment and hard work, Na suggests. Young aeronauts—and pigs—take note. Ages 3–5. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Both whimsical and thought-provoking." -School Library Journal

"Success requires quiet judgment and hard work. Young aeronauts-and pigs-take note." -Publishers Weekly

"Spare, gentle text, whimsical pictures, and stick-to-it message are sure to engage young readers who've got dreams of their own." -Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

07/01/2018
PreS-Gr 3—"When pigs fly" takes on a whole new meaning in this fable about an aquamarine pig who dreams of flying with the birds he so admires. He studies, gathers materials, and tirelessly experiments. After an Isaac Newton—esque moment, he is hopeful; his friends come to help. He takes their advice to heart and finally creates a flying machine right out of Kitty Hawk. Emboldened, he shoots for the moon in a rocket ship. His friends also take flight—a panda in a hot air balloon, an octopus in a flying saucer, a fox with a jetpack. Still, in the end, sometimes it's nice to just admire the birds. Inspired by the author's own trials and errors in creating children's books, this offering is both whimsical and thought-provoking. The digitally composed ink-and—colored pencil illustrations feature pink elephants and green horses often against cream pages. One spread depicts the pig studying a chalkboard covered with diagrams and formulas; the front endpapers are filled with gray birds flying in different poses. On the back endpapers, observant readers will note the little pig amidst the birds, a feather in each hoof. Use in maker units or as an original modern fable. VERDICT A lighthearted story with a worthy message; perfect for storytime or one-on-one sharing.—Barbara Auerbach, Formerly at New York City Public Schools

School Library Journal

2018-06-25
Dreaming of flight, a mint-green pig plans, fails, perseveres, and triumphs."Once, there was a pig who admired birds." Wishing he could fly south with them, this impressively STEM-y fellow gets to work. "There was much to learn. // And gather. / But his first flying machines / fell / flat." Na humorously depicts the pig's elaborate initial diagrams on an enormous board. After many prototypes fail, the pig finds new inspiration, and a trio of animal friends comes to assist. "But even with help, it was not easy. // So he listened. // And modified. / Momentum built." The successful machine—looking like a cross between a biplane and a glider, the pig's red-shoed legs dangling underneath—leads him to even bigger aspirations. A later spread even shows him emerging from a rocket on the moon. Back on Earth, the pig's realized dreams ignite a whole city full of animals, who are shown gamboling aloft via balloons, jet packs, rockets, and more. Na's digitally composed ink-and-pencil illustrations contrast soft pastel compositions with starry nightscapes. As the pig continues to dream and observe—the last spread ends with the opening line—further experiments and rich adventures seem inevitable.Na's spare, gentle text, whimsical pictures, and stick-to-it message are sure to engage young readers who've got dreams of their own. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews