Children's Dreams: Understanding the Most Memorable Dreams and Nightmares of Childhood

The authors (Preparing Beyond Death) clearly state their mission in writing this book: to remedy the dearth of information children receive today about dreams and understand their dreaming experience. They also want to help parents, teachers, and other caregivers to respond to children's conversations about their dreams as "an experience of emotional truth" and to help children use dreams to develop their powers of imagination. To that end, the authors offer a brief primer on Jungian concepts like "collective unconscious" archetypes that will not appeal to all parents. The book takes a more engrossing turn when relating authentic dreams and their interpretations, including fanciful dreams like "My good monster angel" (who fights the bad monster in a boy's dream) or "the girl of the rainbow." (a girl dreams she climbs a rainbow up to heaven). The most helpful section in the book explains techniques to help children discuss and understand their dreams, and touches on topics such as expressing their dreams through journaling, art, and talking to other people about them While the authors say this book is aimed at parents, educators, psychologists, medical personnel will best understand and appreciate the presentation. (Sept.)