A couple of months ago my 6 year-old had a nightmare. He’s usually a pretty good sleeper, so this was unusual for him. Ever since, he has been obsessing about this dream. He’s been nervous about going to bed in case it comes back, and talks about it almost daily. In his words, “That dream changed my life, in a bad way.” My husband and I have tried special lullabies, piles of stuffies on his bed, journaling. Nothing seemed to help until my husband brought up the idea of a dreamcatcher. My kid was fascinated and wanted to know more. We checked out “Grandmother’s Dreamcatcher” in a desperate bid to calm my anxious little buddy’s worries and help our whole family get some sleep.
“Grandmother’s Dreamcatcher” tells the story of Kimmie, a young Chippewa girl who is spending a week with her grandmother. Her first night at Grandmother’s, she has a nightmare. Kimmie becomes nervous about going to bed, until Grandmother tells her the legend of the dreamcatcher, which can trap bad dreams and only let good ones t
hrough. Kimmie and Grandmother make a dreamcatcher together, and Kimmie is no longer afraid to sleep. The book ends with instructions to make your own dreamcatcher.
This book was sweet and informative. I appreciated that it showed Native American characters in a contemporary setting, something that is rare in children’s media. The illustrations were evocative, with darker, muddier colors when Kimmie is still worried about her nightmare, and a lighter, sun-drenched palate after she builds her dreamcatcher. Also, I am happy to report that after reading the book and helping to make his own dreamcatcher, my son is no longer scared to go to bed and our nighttime problems are solved (for now).