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Awesome Book
An Awesome Book!
Based on the simple concept of dreaming big “An Awesome Book” is the inspiring debut work of Los Angeles writer/artist Dallas Clayton. Written in the vein of classic tales by Dr. Suess, Shel Silverstein, and Maurice Sendak it is a sure hit for all generations young and old.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Dallas Clayton
15 books119 followersDallas Clayton is an author, illustrator, public speaker, mural painter, and adventure seeker.
When he is not busy writing books (for children of all ages), touring the world, painting on buildings, or climbing trees, he is generally trying find happiness and share it with others.
When he is not busy writing books (for children of all ages), touring the world, painting on buildings, or climbing trees, he is generally trying find happiness and share it with others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
September 6, 2019
Innovative and engaging with wonderful art!
January 12, 2016
This book IS awesome. Very inspiring for any age. Never stop dreaming.
June 4, 2012
More Than Amazing Book ....
It`s All About Dreams .. Big Big Dreams :)
So please my child, do keep in mind before you go to bed;
To Dream a dream as BIG as BIG could ever DREAM to be;
Then dream a DREAM ten times as big as that dream you see;
Then once you have got that dream in mind, please dream a million more;
And not a million quiet dreams, a million dream that ROAR.
It`s All About Dreams .. Big Big Dreams :)
So please my child, do keep in mind before you go to bed;
To Dream a dream as BIG as BIG could ever DREAM to be;
Then dream a DREAM ten times as big as that dream you see;
Then once you have got that dream in mind, please dream a million more;
And not a million quiet dreams, a million dream that ROAR.
March 31, 2020
I LOVED this one - both the sentiment, AND the author's colorful artwork!
When we are young we dream of magical things like rocket-powered unicorns, and musical baboons. Then we grow up, and the un-fantastical, practical overtakes us, and we wind up dreaming about matching silverware, furniture, and decidedly unmagical cars. This book urges the reader to swing back to the more amazing dreams of youth. Who knows . . . your dream could possibly be the one that changes the world.
When we are young we dream of magical things like rocket-powered unicorns, and musical baboons. Then we grow up, and the un-fantastical, practical overtakes us, and we wind up dreaming about matching silverware, furniture, and decidedly unmagical cars. This book urges the reader to swing back to the more amazing dreams of youth. Who knows . . . your dream could possibly be the one that changes the world.
August 31, 2012
Read this online for free here: http://www.veryawesomeworld.com/aweso... (Thanks StumbleUpon!)
So, yeah, this was OK. Just OK, really. Very colorful, but nothing really exceptional. Just an exercise in thinking up the most whimsical scenarios possible, and fitting them into rhyme, with full color illustrations to match, with a moral to not lose the whimsy of childhood's imagination and whatnot. You know, "Dream Big!"
That's all well and good. Right now, I'm imagining a purple polka-dotted Beluga whale singing opera while juggling 36 clowns wearing kimonos (what? this is my imagination and if I say that Beluga whales have hands with which to juggle, then dammit, they do!). I'm imagining that, but it's not doing anything for me, because it's not relevant to my interests or my life anymore.
So, instead, I do boring adult things like dream about the house I want to live in, or the furniture I'd fill it with, or the job I would need to pay for those things. I dream about the life I want to have, rather than "dancing wild animals with diamond coated wings".
But, it's a children's book and it's colorful. Cliche out the wazoo... but colorful. I mean, couldn't it at least have emphasized inventiveness? Something even remotely useful? Dream of what you want to be, or what you want to do, or how you want the world to be... Dream of creating a machine that washes socks without losing any of them... But no.
No, this book is just insipid. Dream the biggest, biiiiiiiiiiiiigest craziest most hugestest wild dream evar!
Yup. Remember kids... Dream big! Because one day those dreams will get you through your shift at Mickey D's.
Eh, you know what, 2 stars is really giving this a lot of credit.
So, yeah, this was OK. Just OK, really. Very colorful, but nothing really exceptional. Just an exercise in thinking up the most whimsical scenarios possible, and fitting them into rhyme, with full color illustrations to match, with a moral to not lose the whimsy of childhood's imagination and whatnot. You know, "Dream Big!"
That's all well and good. Right now, I'm imagining a purple polka-dotted Beluga whale singing opera while juggling 36 clowns wearing kimonos (what? this is my imagination and if I say that Beluga whales have hands with which to juggle, then dammit, they do!). I'm imagining that, but it's not doing anything for me, because it's not relevant to my interests or my life anymore.
So, instead, I do boring adult things like dream about the house I want to live in, or the furniture I'd fill it with, or the job I would need to pay for those things. I dream about the life I want to have, rather than "dancing wild animals with diamond coated wings".
But, it's a children's book and it's colorful. Cliche out the wazoo... but colorful. I mean, couldn't it at least have emphasized inventiveness? Something even remotely useful? Dream of what you want to be, or what you want to do, or how you want the world to be... Dream of creating a machine that washes socks without losing any of them... But no.
No, this book is just insipid. Dream the biggest, biiiiiiiiiiiiigest craziest most hugestest wild dream evar!
Yup. Remember kids... Dream big! Because one day those dreams will get you through your shift at Mickey D's.
Eh, you know what, 2 stars is really giving this a lot of credit.
August 25, 2012
As an adult, I really enjoyed this book - I liked the story line very much. My two children, ages six and four, however, did not understand it well and were asking a lot of questions. My four-year-old seemed to like the illustrations and would giggle as I'd point out the silliness of the pictures (rockets on unicorns) and my six-year-old would smirk at these as well but had a very quizzical look throughout my reading. "Momma, how can dreams die?" A nice teaching opportunity on my part but I also feel that it took away much of the enjoyment my children could have had from the book.
October 8, 2012
We saw a commercial about this book while we were watching the Redskins play today, so I pulled out my handy iPad and checked it out online. It's a fun book about dreaming and using your imagination. The rhyming narrative is fun to read aloud and the illustrations are colorful and quirky. I read this book on my own and then I read it again with our girls. They really liked it and want to read more of the books by Dallas Clayton.
June 5, 2012
My husband just ordered this book to add to our son's collection. I sat down and thumbed through it and have to say that I really enjoyed it. The art is fun and imaginative, and the message about always dreaming big is really important. Plus there are rocket powered unicorns. Yea, I was pretty much sold after that gem.
December 16, 2017
Oh god this was terrible. It's quite long for a children's book and who do you think is paying $17 for a book with lackluster illustrations except people with jobs? It's so heavy handed with it's disdain of normal people with normal dreams (oh the horror of dreaming of car!). Don't waste your money or time.
April 19, 2012
Ladder this one up with Susan V. Bosak's DREAM.
I like the overall quirk factor of this one paired with it's message. Brave concept out there for younger and older readers. I think this one is really designed to be shared.
I like the overall quirk factor of this one paired with it's message. Brave concept out there for younger and older readers. I think this one is really designed to be shared.
July 18, 2016
I love this book so much! It has such a sweet message and it's colorful and fun for kids to look at. Definitely one of our favorites!
July 20, 2016
Awesome! Spread the love.
Read this book here: http://www.veryawesomeworld.com/aweso....
Read this book here: http://www.veryawesomeworld.com/aweso....
September 5, 2019
It was a good read.
November 4, 2022
عنوان ترجمهٔ فارسی: کتابچهی جالب
August 25, 2019
A book about dreams and infinite possibilities. We loved this. Adding this to our home library ASAP.
June 14, 2013
WOW, it seems that so many of you (adults) have given up dreaming!
How droll! It's not really up to adults to review a kids book and say "Uh, well GROW UP and stop dreaming because bills and real life" that's kind of the opposite intention of the book. Somehow books can take you to magical lands and we accept it but a book can tell children to "KEEP DREAMING" and dream big, and everyone roars "Be realistic," thankfully there are still children in the world. Young and old, and we see a wonderful, whimsical example in Dallas Clayton.
Honestly, you should buy this book just for the fact that you don't want your kids to be one of those adults that discounts other's dreams, rolling their eyes and saying "Dream big? What about my house payment?? Grow up!" (That sounds stupid but it's actually a quote by the top review. Weird.
The one thing I don't understand is why all the terribly negative comments float to the top for me to have to read and break my heart when this is such a well rated book!
Read the book. Read it to your kids and the kid in your heart. Keep dreaming.
Cliche maybe but still necessary as long as people continue to cease dreaming and disregard a simple, beautiful children's book simply for encouraging children to not let go of their dreams.
How droll! It's not really up to adults to review a kids book and say "Uh, well GROW UP and stop dreaming because bills and real life" that's kind of the opposite intention of the book. Somehow books can take you to magical lands and we accept it but a book can tell children to "KEEP DREAMING" and dream big, and everyone roars "Be realistic," thankfully there are still children in the world. Young and old, and we see a wonderful, whimsical example in Dallas Clayton.
In his own words: It's a kid's book, but I guess in many ways it is also an adult's book. You know, one of those where adults can read it and say "I'm really just a kid inside." Adults love to say stuff like that. Adults are weird.
Honestly, you should buy this book just for the fact that you don't want your kids to be one of those adults that discounts other's dreams, rolling their eyes and saying "Dream big? What about my house payment?? Grow up!" (That sounds stupid but it's actually a quote by the top review. Weird.
The one thing I don't understand is why all the terribly negative comments float to the top for me to have to read and break my heart when this is such a well rated book!
Read the book. Read it to your kids and the kid in your heart. Keep dreaming.
Cliche maybe but still necessary as long as people continue to cease dreaming and disregard a simple, beautiful children's book simply for encouraging children to not let go of their dreams.
November 2, 2012
I could have sworn I already wrote down my thoughts on this book, but I cannot seem to find it, so I'll tell you again. Dallas Clayton has a vivid imagination and the talent to get it on the page to share with others. An Awesome Book and it looks like those that will come after it are different and here to challenge our kiddos. Think outside the box and do not be afraid to challenge yourself to be who you are. Dream big dreams, dream little dreams, dream dreams that matter and dreams that don't. All in all, just dream and do not limit yourself -- that is what I find in the pages of this picture book.
*Thanks to HC for providing a copy for review.*
scheduled: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
*Thanks to HC for providing a copy for review.*
scheduled: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
July 2, 2016
I first found Dallas Clayton through his book A is for Awesome and while my son loved it I kind of thought it was weird and his bio and picture at the end even a little weirder. But since my kid loved it I thought maybe I'd look into his other books. This book is Awesome! I have never read something so simple (great for kids) with such a nice message (also great for kids). I also found it helpful for my son because it's a very imaginative book and he struggles with thinking outside the box. I'm a big Dallas Clayton fan. (Side note: The author reads this book on his website, veryawesomeworld.com, and has the most beautiful, melodic voice. I put it on my son's iPod to listen to in his quiet audiobook time and he's a fan).
July 21, 2019
Sort of a modern day Dr. Seuss feel to it. The first few page talk about the whimsical kids dream about candy cane machines and singing baboons. And then it shows how adults dream about things like furniture and matching silverware. I vow to never be one of those adults. Oh wait, I already am. Nevertheless, let me hold on to as much fantastical and dreams as I can.
November 25, 2012
One reason why I love this book so much is because it is written by a dad originally for his son. He wrote and illustrated the book. I think that is inspiring and I would tell my students his story before I read the book to them. I would let my students know that they can also publish their own books if they put their minds to it. I would then allow my students to begin writing and illustrating their own books. When there is down time or if they finish an assignment early they could continue to work on their books. At the end of the year I could send the books to a company and get them made into hardback books for the students.
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December 19, 2015I'm pretty torn on this one. It's a fun idea with some crazy, silly illustrations, but it has a vibe of "adult problems" throughout. It's message is "dream big," but there's a hint of "growing up/grownups are bad" scolding going on that I'm not a fan of.
I wanted to use it for an kindergarten story time, but I actually think it'd fit better with high school students, who would understand both the positives and negatives expressed in this books. The illustrations and simple, poetic lines would make for a great free-write intro.
I wanted to use it for an kindergarten story time, but I actually think it'd fit better with high school students, who would understand both the positives and negatives expressed in this books. The illustrations and simple, poetic lines would make for a great free-write intro.
October 25, 2012
I liked the retro-psychedelic illustrations and unusual situations. I'm not a big fan of all of the "dream big, kids!" stuff, which seems so hollow and fake to me. I did, however, appreciate the gentle mocking the author gave to all of us boring adults who've given up our childhood creativity in favor of dreams about stupid things like cars, furniture, and cell phones...
October 5, 2017
There are some books that just strike me as wonderful, and this is one of those books. It's about dreaming dreams that know no limits. I can't even accurately describe this book. It is beyond imagination and limits of one's mind. It's about letting go of limits.
August 6, 2016
Great message and illustrations but a little long winded for kiddo sized attention spans.
January 11, 2017
Dreams are so important! Dream BIG or Dream small, just dream to dream a dream that is the dreamiest.
March 16, 2017
I just adore all of these sweet little books!
March 13, 2018
The book is a little preachy but otherwise a fun and inspiring read!
April 23, 2018
Very inspired for any age I enjoy read it 😊
July 10, 2021
This book started off really fun and fantastical - a book about dreaming of and for crazy things (watermelon boats! candy cane machines!), but then quickly shifted into dismissing people who dream about regular, "mundane" things: cars, food, furniture. And while, yes, it's cool to have anti-consumerist message (we don't all need the brand new iPhone!), there are people - and kids - all over who dream of having cars to get to school/work, food to eat, a phone. This quickly went from a very fun book about crazy-fun imagination to an exercise in privilege.
November 13, 2017
An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton is a fun child’s book with the writing style of Dr. Seuss. The book is filled with Dallas Clayton’s out of this world illustrations about what children should dream about with colorful and sloppy drawings. The story mainly focus on children should not start dreaming small when growing up, they should keep dream big. Each page had a form of rhyming or pattern to his point of dreaming big.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews