SWEET DREAMS OF THE WILD

Dotlich's debut, subtitled ``Poems for Bedtime,'' is sure to give any preschooler sweet dreams. The soothing, repetitive rhyme charms, as does the cozy artwork in colored pencil. On the first page a child is pictured staring out the window by her bed, wondering where the animals rest: ``Hummingbird/hummingbird/Where do you sleep?'' The answer: ``I rest near the ivy/that hugs the wall,/in a teacup-sized nest/because I'm so small./High in a tree/I weave a warm bed,/with cattail fluff/and cobweb threads . . . I cuddle up tight/with dreams of the wild,/and THAT'S where I sleep,/sleepy child.'' Gray mouse in the attic, silver cat on the window seat, caterpillar in cocoon, red robin in a nest, brown bear in a cave—each delivers a snug rhyme, and by the end of the book children will feel content and safe and ready for good-night or good-nap. More than a rhymed text, Dotlich's verse introduces the young to the rhythms and images of poetry. A book and author/illustrator pairing that deserve a hearty welcome. (Picture book. 2-5)