Sweep Dreams - Hardcover

Newbery Medal winner Nancy Willard has written numerous beloved books for children and adults, including poetry, picture books, and novels. She teaches writing and literature at Vassar College.

Mary GrandPré is the acclaimed illustrator of many children's books, including Plum, by Tony Mitton; The Thread of Life, by Domenico Vittorini; and the bestselling Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Willard's lyrical tale is a delightful love story of a lonely man and the magical red broom he finds languishing in the corner of the supermarket. When the "sweepwalking" broom starts to dance alone at night, she attracts the attention of a stranger who steals her and tries to force her to dance for a paying crowd, then tosses her into the river when she is uncooperative. Alerted to her fate by a fortune-teller, the man rescues her and brings her home. But the broom is no longer happy in a house, and when he releases her, she leaps into the sky to sweep away the clouds, polish the rainbows, and tidy up the stars. GrandPré's oil-wash and colored-pencil artwork is as tender and expressive as the story. Small details convey how very precious this wonderful broom is to the man. The vivid illustrations sweep delicately across the page, depicting the beauty of the natural landscape and open skies. In this modern tale of chivalry, the man loves the broom so much that he sets her free, to find happiness working at Mother Nature's tasks.-Jane Barrer, Washington Square Village Creative Steps, New York City
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