Engelbert Sneem and His Dream Vacuum Machine Book

Little ones can enter the world of Engelbert Sneem and find out what happens when he turns out to be his own worst nightmare. This fabulous read-aloud is sure to be a hit with parents and kids alike. Full color.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3 This is one of those treasured picture books that has a fresh concept, beautiful poetry, and appealing illustrations. Written entirely in well-metered rhyme, the story is about an elflike man, Engelbert Sneem, who flies around on a carriage pulled by dragons, sucking up children's dreams with his dreadful vacuum cleaner. He then returns to his castle and enjoys them. The turning point comes when he experiences a child's nightmare that turns out to be about himself. This horrifies Sneem, resulting in a change of heart in which he travels the world taking nightmares away from children. The lyric language is delightful for reading aloud-"And while the boy dreamt/of the tale he had read,/A shadowy figure crept up to his bed,/And he sucked up the dream/and he plugged it up tight,/Then he chuckled and/scuttled away through the night." The softly colored cartoon illustrations are large and have various perspectives, magnifying the dastardly Sneem, who has a long pointy nose, pointy ears, and missing teeth. Kids will relish this story.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA