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Vendor
Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
Categories

SOMEONE BUILDS THE DREAM

Lisa Wheeler Loren Long

Buildings, bridges, and books don't exist without the laborers who are often invisible in the final product, as this joyous and profound picture book reveals.
All across this great big world, jobs are getting done
by many hands in many lands. It takes much more than ONE.

Gorgeously written and illustrated, this is an eye-opening exploration of the many types of work that go into building our world--from the making of a bridge to a wind farm, an amusement park, and even the very picture book that you are reading. An architect may dream up the plans for a house, but someone has to actually work the saws and pound the nails. This book is a thank-you to the skilled women and men who work tirelessly to see our dreams brought to life.


Lisa Wheeler is the author of many picture books that are loved for their infectious read-aloud quality, such as Jazz Baby (a Geisel honor book), her Dino-Sports series, and The Christmas Boot, which won a Golden Kite Award for best picture book text. She lives near Detroit, Michigan.

Loren Long is one of the most iconic and beloved illustrators of our time. He has collaborated with authors ranging from Angela Johnson, Julie Fogliano, and Matt de la Peña to Barack Obama, Frank McCourt, and Madonna. His bestselling Otis the Tractor series is in development as an animated TV show, and one of his most recent picture books, Love by Matt de la Peña, is a #1 New York Times Bestseller. Loren lives in Cincinatti with his wife, sons, and their pet Weimaraners.
Available products
Book

Published 2021-03-23 by Dial Books for Young Readers

Comments

SOMEONE BUILDS THE DREAM is a 2022 ALA Notable Children's Books (excluding the ALA award winners), which identifies "the best of the best in children's books"!

Young children will enjoy the details shown in the illustrations and the lyrical text. For older children, the book can be a great first title to read when beginning a study of the concept of labor... For everyone, it can help us remember to appreciate the many skilled people across a wide variety of trades who make the things we enjoy.

Publisher's Weekly ran an interview with Lisa Wheeler and Loren Long on March 18th Read more...

Featured illustrator in MEET THE ARTISTS Booklist Webinar! March 24th, 2021 Presentation distributed to 800+ teachers & librarians Digital, email, & social advertising to gather registration Read more...

A loving ode to folks who get their hands dirty doing nitty-gritty jobs... This is a gorgeous, respectful tribute... to the dignity and beauty of industry and the pride and pleasure derived from doing one's best... Marvelous as a read-aloud and as a springboard to maker projects in classrooms and libraries.

A powerful tribute to skilled tradespeople that emphasizes the teamwork necessary to make the world run.

Representation matters, and this book has it in spades by simply presenting the world as it is and showing that everyone is valuable for their unique skills. Good picture books are a magical blend of simple prose and illustration that, when combined, become greater than their parts. And this is a really good one!

SOMEONE BUILDS THE DREAM is a An Indie Bestseller Horn Book Fanfare 2021 NPR Books We Love 2021 Chicago Public Library Best Books of 2021 AV Club's Best Picture Books of 2021

Penguin Classroom Spring 2021 Preview Event Read more...

Someone Builds the Dream activity kit Read more...

This inviting picture book has a single theme, repeated with variations: while creative people are praised for their skills, the things they envision would never be realized without hard-working members of various trades, who turn those dreams into the real-world buildings, bridges, fountains, and amusement parks... Toward the end, the pictures show the writer and illustrator at work, the books being printed and packaged, and finally, children hearing Someone Builds the Dream read aloud. A satisfying conclusion to an original picture book.

Closing text exhorts children to appreciate all the 'someones' behind built/made things - but they won't need much of a push after reading this inspirational, inclusive, and engaging book.