Dreaming, Just Like You

Dreaming Just Like You, authored by Terri Tatchell and illustrated by Maria Flo, is a nuanced picture book that successfully navigates the complex territory of interspecies empathy and shared emotional life. While initially appearing to be a simple rhyming text for young children, the work quickly establishes a sophisticated thematic core: the idea that the internal, imaginative lives of animals may mirror our own.

The book’s success hinges on its carefully structured, repetitive device. It begins by validating a child’s expectation of what an animal dreams about, rooting the narrative in instinctual behavior. For instance, the walrus naturally dreams of “eating fish and roaring extra loud”. However, the text then introduces the disruptive, humanizing element: “But sometimes other dreams slip in”. For the walrus, this unexpected aspiration is a desire for “things that aren’t allowed”. This introduces a concept of rebellion or boundary-testing, a highly relatable, non-instinctual emotional experience that resonates deeply with the human experience.

Another powerful example is the representation of the chicken. The routine dream of “pecking things, like corn and tiny bugs” is contrasted with the heartfelt, emotional dream of “snuggles and big hugs”. This juxtaposition underscores the universal need for affection and comfort, effectively dissolving the perceived barrier between human and avian consciousness. Similarly, the hippo, whose primary dreams involve “late-night runs around the jungle trees”, is shown to also dream “of band-aids on skinned knees”. This small, poignant detail, the desire for soothing care after a minor injury, is a powerful tool for developing empathy, encouraging young readers to view large, wild animals through a lens of vulnerability and shared experience.

The book’s central thesis that dreams, like those of all creatures, “float through the air,” suggests a collective unconscious that binds species together. The final pages directly challenge the reader’s assumptions with the question, “What if… their dreams are more like yours?” This is not merely a closing rhyme; it is an open-ended prompt for critical thought and compassionate observation.

Dreaming Just Like You is highly commendable for its poetic execution and its profound contribution to developing emotional intelligence in early childhood. It is a valuable addition to any library focused on promoting empathy, perspective-taking, and an appreciation for the complexity of the natural world.