I Had a Bad Dream by Linda Hayward (1985) is a Golden Book that begins with a “Note to Parents.” The note encourages parents to “check out” the content of their children’s nightmares, that is, separate their dreams from reality. In this story, Jason is not afraid of things that still frighten his younger brother. Yet Jason wakes up in the middle of the night feeling afraid. Then he recalls his nightmare and seeks comfort from his dad. Together, they work out that dreams are not real. Eugenie’s illustrations are characteristic of other Golden Books that I remember. They have clean lines and plenty of primary colors. The nightmare is scary but not terrifying. I don’t think I’ve seen a recent picture book on this topic, so it’s a refreshing library sale find.
