Reading Activities: Every Dreaming Creature by Brendan Wenzel

On March 16, 2026March 16, 2026 By Only Picture BooksIn Reading Activities1 Comment

Every Dreaming Creature
Author: Brendan Wenzel
Illustrator: Brendan Wenzel
26 September 2023
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
40 pages

Book description from Goodreads: “Perfect for bedtime or at any time, here is a visually stunning exploration of animal senses through dreams, from Caldecott Honoree and New York Times bestselling creator Brendan Wenzel.

Welcome to a magical world of endless curiosity. You are a sleeping salamander. A dancing octopus. A speeding falcon…even a sneaking tiger and playful human child. As one dream slips into another, every page turn immerses you in the sensory wonder of the world and all its creatures, from the ocean depths to soaring skies, and everything in between. Each creature dreams and experiences life in a different way. Each is connected despite their differences.

Poetic and universal in its gentle message of interconnectedness, Every Dreaming Creature yields deeper meaning with every read, offering new discoveries hidden within the acclaimed artist Brendan Wenzel’s dazzling, vibrant artwork.”

Need some reviews of Every Dreaming Creature?

Reading Activities inspired by Every Dreaming Creature:

Before Reading–From looking at the front cover:
- What animals do you notice on the cover?
- How do the colors and shapes make the cover feel—peaceful, mysterious, energetic, or something else?
- What clues tell you the story might involve dreams or imagination?
- What kinds of things do you think animals might dream about?
- Why do you think the title says every dreaming creature instead of naming just one animal?
After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story:
- Which animal dream felt the most vivid or exciting to you? Why?
- What senses show up in the different dreams (sound, touch, movement, smell)?
- How does the story change when we discover who the dreamer really is?
- Which page made you slow down and look closely at the illustrations? What did you notice?
- Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Dream Inside an Animal’s World: Choose one animal from the book. Imagine you’re dreaming as that animal.
*What would the world feel like?
*Would it be quiet or noisy?
*Slow or fast?
*Bright or dark?

Draw a picture of your dream and write two or three sentences describing what the animal experiences.
Three Animals, Three Dreams: In the story, the dreamer becomes many different animals. Think of three animals you would like to dream about. For each one, finish this sentence:
In my dream I was a __________ and the world felt __________.

Try to describe the world the way the book does (through movement, sound, and feeling).
Step into an Animal’s Senses: Animals notice parts of the world that humans often miss. Choose one animal from the book and imagine how it experiences its surroundings. What sounds, textures, smells, and movements might stand out to that creature?
Write or draw three things that animal might notice that a person might overlook. Think carefully about how your chosen animal senses the world, then record your observations.
Map a Nighttime Habitat: Many animals in the book sleep in very different environments such as forests, oceans, trees, or underground burrows. Choose one animal from the story and draw a simple nighttime habitat map showing where that animal rests. Include details that help the animal feel safe and comfortable while sleeping, such as trees, water, rocks, moonlight, or other creatures that live nearby.
Books, Books, and More Books!: Check out these picture books that explore dreams, imagination, and nighttime worlds:

Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin
A nighttime adventure where animals carry sleeping children through magical skies.

Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan
A young owl explores the forest while the rest of the world sleeps.

The Night Walk by Marie Dorléans
An early-morning walk through a sleeping town filled with lovely nighttime details.

Sweet Dreamers by Isabelle Simler
A lyrical bedtime picture book that explores how different animals settle in for sleep, from bats hanging upside down to whales drifting through the ocean.

While You Are Sleeping by Mariana Ruiz Johnson
As a child sleeps, the world continues its quiet nighttime rhythms outside.

Insider Insights: Illustrator Bait–Write Lines that Invite Art

On August 25, 2025August 25, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider2 Comments

At our ACQUIRED! workshop this weekend, guest illustrator Fred Koehler shared a simple idea that lit up the room: write lines that give artists room to invent. He calls it “illustrator bait.” Your job as the text writer is to aim the scene and the feeling, then leave space for visual problem-solving. That space is where style, timing, and humor explode.

Here’s a short guide with quick made-up examples and a few mentor texts.

Aim the beat, leave the staging

You want clarity of intent, strong verbs, and an emotional target. Avoid pinning down props and choreography unless a detail is crucial to the plot or the joke.

Over-scripted: Bob threw his left shoe at the big picture window.
Bait: Bob wanted the room to feel his thunder.

Over-scripted: Lila tips a red bucket and water splashes Mom.
Bait: Lila turns mischief into weather.

Over-scripted: The cat leapt onto the table and knocked the vase down.
Bait: The cat chose chaos.

Over-scripted: Maya stacks three green books and stands on them to reach the shelf.
Bait: Maya finds a way to grow three inches.

Each “bait” line sets intention, mood, and consequence. An illustrator can stage a stomp, a bang, a glare, a toppled tower, a sudden rainstorm, or countless other choices that fit the book’s visual language.

When specifics matter

Sometimes the exact object or action carries story weight. Keep it when:

A later payoff depends on it, like Grandma’s locket that returns on the final spread.
The comedy hinges on a specific reveal, like the banana cream pie that must land somewhere impossible.
Nonfiction accuracy requires a precise mechanism, like a bee’s figure-eight waggle on the comb.

Otherwise, write the aim and the effect, and trust the art team.

Mentor texts that leave room beautifully

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole (Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen): spare lines set intention, the pictures deliver irony and surprise.
They All Saw a Cat (Brendan Wenzel): simple refrain, wildly varied visual interpretations.
The Day the Crayons Quit (Drew Daywalt, Oliver Jeffers): voicey letters aim the emotion, illustrations choose staging and sight gags.
Extra Yarn (Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen): the text names desire and consequence, the art builds world and texture.

Pocket tests for your draft

Could three different illustrators thumbnail this beat three different ways and stay true to your line?
Does your line state intent, feeling, or consequence rather than prescribing props and blocking?
If a detail is specific, does the story truly need that exact thing later?

Workshops like ACQUIRED! work because questions like this sharpen pages for collaboration. Write the emotional arrow, give the scene direction, and let your illustrator fly it to the target.

Reading Activities: Chalk the Walk by Chelsea Tornetto, illustrated by Laurel Aylesworth

On July 21, 2025July 21, 2025 By Only Picture BooksIn Reading Activities1 Comment

Chalk the Walk
Author: Chelsea Tornetto
Illustrator: Laurel Aylesworth
1 April 2025
Familius
32 pages

Book description from Goodreads: “Take to the sidewalk with this colorful picture book to inspire artistic expression and imagination!

Faded pavement.
Walls of gray.
Boring city streets?
No way!

Grab a piece of sidewalk chalk and join in the fun! Join a pair of adorable siblings as they explore the incredible power of a piece of chalk to transform the world around them. Joined by people of all ages from their neighborhood along the way, they use their bucket of chalk to make some sidewalk magic. With rhyming text by Chelsea Tornetto and increasingly colorful illustrations by Laurel Aylesworth, Chalk the Walk is a celebration of imagination.”

Need some reviews of Chalk the Walk?

As a special bonus, here’s an interview with the author at Sue Irwin’s website. Enjoy!

Reading Activities inspired by Chalk the Walk:

Before Reading–From looking at the front cover:
- What do you think this book will be about?
- What kinds of things can you do with sidewalk chalk?
- Have you ever made art that others could see in your neighborhood?
- How do the colors on the cover make you feel?
- What questions would you like to ask the author or illustrator before reading the book?
After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story:
- How do the children change the neighborhood with their chalk drawings?
- Why do you think people were inspired to join in the fun?
- What happens to the chalk art at the end of the story, and how do the characters react?
- How does the book compare chalk to screen time?
- What are some ways you’ve made your own fun without using screens?
- Would you recommend this book to a friend? What part would you tell them about first?
Chalk It Forward
The children in the story start a wave of creativity by drawing with chalk and it spreads to the whole community! Try it yourself: make a cheerful message or simple drawing on the sidewalk or driveway (with permission, of course). You might just brighten someone’s day or inspire a neighbor to add something of their own.
Color Our World
In the book, dull gray spaces slowly fill with bright color. On a piece of paper, draw a scene in all grays. Then color in only one section. Maybe a balloon, a flower, or a chalk drawing. How does that pop of color change the mood? Try doing a second version where everything is bright.
Sidewalk Storytelling
Use chalk to create your own story across several sidewalk squares or blocks. Each square can be a different part of your story: the beginning, the middle, and the end. Invite a friend to read your story as they walk!
Screen-Free Saturday
Plan a whole day of screen-free fun, inspired by this book. Make a list of things you can do: build with blocks, play dress-up, read a book, draw with chalk, make a snack, or put on a puppet show. Can you go the whole day without using a tablet or TV?
Books, Books, and More Books!
Check out these real-world picture books about creativity, outdoor fun, and screen-free play:

Chalk by Bill Thomson

A wordless picture book where chalk drawings come to life…until things get a little too real!

Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel

This visually dazzling book celebrates connection, color, and noticing the world around you. No screens needed!

On a Magical Do-Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna

A rainy day and a bored child lead to a magical outdoor adventure.

Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson, illustrated by Sydney Smith

In this wordless story, a girl collects flowers on a city walk, quietly transforming her world with small acts of kindness.

Sidewalk Chalk by Jen Fier Jasinski, illustrated by Lea Marie Ravotti

From the publisher: “Imaginations soar when a group of neighborhood children scritch, scribble and scrawl in a rainbow of colors, crafting lovely works of art. But one little girl watches from afar, unsure how to contribute her own colorful creations. After gathering her courage, she misses the chance to grab the last piece, until a familiar face shows her how to draw with nature’s chalk — a soft piece of rock. But then raindrops begin to fall and time is cut short, causing the lovely colors to fade into memories. In the morning, a new day begins, and the girl leads the way in welcoming a new friend to this creative community.”

This one’s not out yet, but go ahead and preorder it!