There is a battle brewing between Realists and Dreamers in this imaginative book. When the little general encounters an enormous snowflake hovering as he strides off to review his troops, he grows concerned with this odd silvery apparition that no one else can see. "With trembling hands, he opened his medical book, 'The Realist's Complete Guide to Diseases of the Imagination.' He turned to 'S' and there it was. ... He, who had always prided himself on being a complete realist, was suffering from a rare and shameful imaginary ailment for which there was no cure."
Although the little general is sworn enemies of the Dreamers and their troublesome imaginations, perhaps the snowflake is proof that their whimsical ways are infiltrating the general's psyche against his will. (He would gladly engage the Dreamers in battle, but they are far too busy playing outlandish games!)
Luckily for readers, poet Matthea Harvey has a delightful denouement that is sure to satisfy everyone -- no matter which side of the realism/dreamer spectrum they happen to fall. While the fanciful tale would benefit from color illustrations, the hushed black and white drawings by Elizabeth Zechel render this a cozy short read suitable for early-to-dark evenings by the fire.
ANDREA HOAG
