"When Lexi woke up, something very strange happened. She wasn't in her bed. She wasn't even in her house. She was somewhere she had never been before."
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The Dream Peepers by Brian Garner Illustrated by Brian Garner and Juli Hasegawa Trafford Publishing
book review by Janelle Garcia
Lexi loves playing with her friend, Andrew, but when Andrew goes away for summer vacation, Lexi goes on an unexpected adventure of her own in the land of dreams. It is in "the most beautiful place she had ever seen" that Lexi meets Teri the turtle, Mikey the monkey and others, also known as the Dream Peepers. But all is not perfect in Dreamland, where Lexi can grow as big as a tree and as small as an ant in the blink of an eye, because the Nap-Nabster also lurks in Dreamland, where he "sneaks into people's dreams and makes them forget what they dreamed." It is up to Lexi and the Dream Peepers to put a stop to the Nap-Nabster and restore Dreamland as a safe place for all dreamers, young and old.
Lexi's journey into Dreamland is reminiscent of Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, affording young readers a similarly magical foray into the land of dreams. Lexi's adventures in Dreamland, however, are milder and less perilous in comparison, making this an appropriate story for younger readers. When Lexi and the Dream Peepers confront the Nap-Nabster, his antics are put to an end with a healthy dose of tickling followed by warm apologies, bringing the whimsical story to a comforting conclusion. Young readers will also be engaged by the brightly-colored, manga-esque illustrations that bring Dreamland and all of the Dream Peepers to life.