Parents' Guide to Ben's Dream

The surprise ending to this unusual book will have readers scrambling back through the pages to find the clues they missed the first time through. For many children, enjoying this book -- beyond looking at the intricately hatched black-and-white line drawings -- will require the help of an adult who can answer questions and provide context. The pen-and-ink pictures of monuments, half-covered in water and sometimes pictured at unusual angles, may not be familiar to young readers. But they can provide a starting point for interested children to find out more by reading other books.

Chris Van Allsburg rarely uses the same style twice, and children interested in drawing will be fascinated by his work here, in which he produces drawings of great detail, shading, and three-dimensional depth using only straight and slightly curving lines.