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Dream Street

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Caldecott Honor, three time Coretta Scott King Award winner, and New York Times bestselling illustrator and her author cousin pay gorgeous homage to the street they grew up on and the loving community that made their childhood special.

Welcome to Dream Street--the best street in the world! It's where love between generations rules, everyone is special, and the warmth of a neighborhood shines. Here is the perfect book for parents to use to introduce children to the importance of community.
 
Meet kids like Azaria, who loves to jump double-Dutch one leg at a time; Zion, whose dream is to become a librarian; and cousins Ede and Tari, who dream of creating a picture book together one day. Meet grown-ups like Mr. Sidney, a retired mail carrier who greets everyone with the words, "Don't wait to have a great day. Create one!" and Ms. Sarah, whose voice is only a whisper but who has stories between the lines of her face that she'll share when you come close.
Tricia Elam Walker is the author of the acclaimed picture book Nana Akua Goes to School, which received the 2021 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award and the Children's Africana Book Award, as well as four starred reviews. The Wall Street Journal hailed it as a “a picture book . . . that captures a complex vulnerability that every child feels at one point or another.” Tricia also wrote a novel for adults, Breathing Room, under the name Patricia Elam. She is a cultural and fashion commentator and blogger, and has written for National Public Radio, the Washington Post, Essence magazine, HuffPost, and more. She practiced law for sixteen years prior to teaching writing in Washington, DC, and Boston. Currently, Tricia is an assistant professor of creative writing at Howard University, and resides in Takoma Park, Maryland with her husband. Visit her at triciaelamwalker.com. View titles by Tricia Elam Walker

Educator Guide for Dream Street

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

  • AWARD | 2022
    ALSC Notable Children's Books
Praise for Dream Street:

"Dreams for Black children manifest in striking art as the very idea of street is reimagined." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Beautiful and uplifting." Booklist, starred review

“A buoyant celebration of community nourishment, extolling the virtues of supporting children in dreaming freely and fully.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review 

“A stunning work of art that dismantles stereotypes about Black communities and portrays a place where love abounds.” —The Horn Book, starred review
 
Praise for Tricia Elam Walker's Nana Akua Goes to School:

“A picture book . . . that captures a complex vulnerability that every child feels at one point or another.” —The Wall Street Journal

“This lovely story explores the perennial fear of being different, while showcasing the great love between a grandparent and grandchild” —School Library Journal, starred review
 
“An open-hearted tribute to children with immigrant parents or grandparents.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This beautiful picture book offers a helpful perspective on cultural differences within a heartening family story." Booklist, starred review

"Walker writes convincingly about how difference can cause unease among children, and her story offers a compelling portrait of a grandmother whose pride and poise put that concern to rest.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Offers viewers both the comfort of the familiar and, for those unfamiliar with West African arts, a tantalizing introduction to interpreting symbols. Most importantly, this calls for readers and listeners to have faith in youngsters to embrace a new concept with an open mind and enthusiastic spirit.” —The Bulletin

“Lucky for readers and for Zura, her grandmother has a fascinating cultural tradition that, in her first book for kids, Tricia Elam Walker presents with extraordinary grace and nimbleness…. [An] eye-opening picture book.” —Shelf Awareness

Dream Street - Read Aloud Picture Book | Brightly Storytime

About

Caldecott Honor, three time Coretta Scott King Award winner, and New York Times bestselling illustrator and her author cousin pay gorgeous homage to the street they grew up on and the loving community that made their childhood special.

Welcome to Dream Street--the best street in the world! It's where love between generations rules, everyone is special, and the warmth of a neighborhood shines. Here is the perfect book for parents to use to introduce children to the importance of community.
 
Meet kids like Azaria, who loves to jump double-Dutch one leg at a time; Zion, whose dream is to become a librarian; and cousins Ede and Tari, who dream of creating a picture book together one day. Meet grown-ups like Mr. Sidney, a retired mail carrier who greets everyone with the words, "Don't wait to have a great day. Create one!" and Ms. Sarah, whose voice is only a whisper but who has stories between the lines of her face that she'll share when you come close.

Author

Tricia Elam Walker is the author of the acclaimed picture book Nana Akua Goes to School, which received the 2021 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award and the Children's Africana Book Award, as well as four starred reviews. The Wall Street Journal hailed it as a “a picture book . . . that captures a complex vulnerability that every child feels at one point or another.” Tricia also wrote a novel for adults, Breathing Room, under the name Patricia Elam. She is a cultural and fashion commentator and blogger, and has written for National Public Radio, the Washington Post, Essence magazine, HuffPost, and more. She practiced law for sixteen years prior to teaching writing in Washington, DC, and Boston. Currently, Tricia is an assistant professor of creative writing at Howard University, and resides in Takoma Park, Maryland with her husband. Visit her at triciaelamwalker.com. View titles by Tricia Elam Walker

Guides

Educator Guide for Dream Street

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Awards

  • AWARD | 2022
    ALSC Notable Children's Books

Praise

Praise for Dream Street:

"Dreams for Black children manifest in striking art as the very idea of street is reimagined." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Beautiful and uplifting." Booklist, starred review

“A buoyant celebration of community nourishment, extolling the virtues of supporting children in dreaming freely and fully.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review 

“A stunning work of art that dismantles stereotypes about Black communities and portrays a place where love abounds.” —The Horn Book, starred review
 
Praise for Tricia Elam Walker's Nana Akua Goes to School:

“A picture book . . . that captures a complex vulnerability that every child feels at one point or another.” —The Wall Street Journal

“This lovely story explores the perennial fear of being different, while showcasing the great love between a grandparent and grandchild” —School Library Journal, starred review
 
“An open-hearted tribute to children with immigrant parents or grandparents.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This beautiful picture book offers a helpful perspective on cultural differences within a heartening family story." Booklist, starred review

"Walker writes convincingly about how difference can cause unease among children, and her story offers a compelling portrait of a grandmother whose pride and poise put that concern to rest.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Offers viewers both the comfort of the familiar and, for those unfamiliar with West African arts, a tantalizing introduction to interpreting symbols. Most importantly, this calls for readers and listeners to have faith in youngsters to embrace a new concept with an open mind and enthusiastic spirit.” —The Bulletin

“Lucky for readers and for Zura, her grandmother has a fascinating cultural tradition that, in her first book for kids, Tricia Elam Walker presents with extraordinary grace and nimbleness…. [An] eye-opening picture book.” —Shelf Awareness

Media

Dream Street - Read Aloud Picture Book | Brightly Storytime

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