The Dream Train: Poems for Bedtime

A dreamy treasure trove of thirty bedtime poems to snuggle over together—and return to night after night

When night arrives and the birds swoop home to nest, it’s time to have a bath, put on pajamas, brush teeth, and settle in for sleep. This soothing collection of Sean Taylor’s original verse and rhyme for the very young explores the ritual of bedtime with warmth, tenderness, and gentle humor. Thirty poems in many styles, from shape poems to free verse to ballad poems, are divided into three sections. From sleepy bats to dreaming ducks, from a favorite blanket to the chugga! chugga! of a dream train coming down the tracks, these imaginative variations on a timeless theme—brought to life in soft, shimmering illustrations—resonate with pure emotion, inviting sleepyheads of every stripe to indulge in sweet dreams.

Sean Taylor has written more than forty books for young readers. These include picture books such as Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise and I Want to Be in a Scary Story, both illustrated by Jean Jullien; Where the Bugaboo Lives, illustrated by Neal Layton; The World Champion of Staying Awake, illustrated by Jimmy Liao; A Brave Bear, illustrated by Emily Hughes; and Don't Call Me Choochie Pooh!, illustrated by Kate Hindley. He lives in Bristol, England.

Anuska Allepuz is the author-illustrator of Little Green Donkey and has illustrated several acclaimed picture books, including What Will You Dream of Tonight? by Frances Stickley and A Bear Is a Bear (except when he’s not) by Karl Newson. She lives in Cambridge, England.