A review by brucefarrar
Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale

5.0

Using the techniques of rime, rhythm, concrete poetry and painting, Hale portrays children at play using sticks, building blocks, mud, sticks, cushions and blanket to build model buildings, sandcastles and playhouses for themselves on the verso pages of her picture book. Juxtaposed to these on the recto pages are color photographs of significant works of world architecture that reflect the techniques that the children are using. Next to the painting and poem of two children at the shore building sand castles decorated with sea shells is a photo of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona with its soaring light brown towers. Opposite a painting of a toddler stacking rings is the immense spiral of the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan. The paintings and the poetry are delightfully playful. The combination of them with the architectural photography is absolutely stunning!