Ben's Dream

Ben’s Dream

By Chris Van Allsburg

Houghton Mifflin Company

Copyright 1982

pp.32

     In the picture book Ben’s Dream written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, the reader is taken along on a wonderful dream about historic landmarks.  Or, is it really not a dream? This is the question the book leaves the reader wondering. I enjoy this type of ending because it provides a multitude of possibilities for discussion. Dreaming and the state of semi-consciousness have always been favorite topics of mine because there are no definite answers, only possibilities. This book made me wonder if people can enter each other’s dreams and if people share dreams. I also loved the detailed illustrations on each page of the book. Allsburg’s use of line and perspective is wonderful; it makes the reader feel as if he or she is actually on the journey with Ben. The reader must pay close attention to the details in illustrations to help with the ending. When I first picked up the book, I thought it would be an easy read.  Howevr, I realized that it is actually a much more thought provoking and entertaining book for readers of all ages than I realized.