A River Dream by Allen Say

32 pages. 1988.

Mark uses a dream of a fishing trip to help himself through a fever and to learn something about himself. His uncle sends him a box of fishing lures, which reminds him of a fishing trip they took together, and this inspires a dream that feels very real. In the dream, Mark imagines fishing with his uncle, very skillfully, and discovers that he wants to let fish go rather than kill them. After this dream, his fever breaks. This story offers children an example of how to use imagination to cope with being sick.

Ages: 5-8
Cultural Context: multicultural