Parents' Guide to

The Sandman: The Guardians of Childhood

By Regan McMahon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Imaginative tale of sleepy hero who fights kids' nightmares.

The Sandman: The Guardians of Childhood Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 4+

Based on 1 parent review

age 4+

Absolutely beautiful

Beautiful story, beautifully illustrated. It is magical. Some lovely messages about coping with fears. I just loved this book for my 4 1/2 year old.

This title has:

Educational value

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The story and cosmology are a bit complex but should still be captivating as a read-aloud for little ones, especially at bedtime. The luminous illustrations in THE SANDMAN are spectacular and fit the fantastical nature of this inventive story set in the heavens among planets, shooting stars, constellations, and creatures from "the ocean of the sky"-- mermaids, sea turtles, a seahorse steed, and talking seashells. The main character, short, sleepy, roly-poly Sandy, is cute and appealing.

Book Details

  • Author: William Joyce
  • Illustrator: William Joyce
  • Genre: Picture Book
  • Topics: Magic and Fantasy
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Atheneum
  • Publication date: October 2, 2012
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
  • Number of pages: 48
  • Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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