Head Full of Clouds, written by Joanne Schwartz and illustrated by Afsaneh Sanei. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 5 and up

"Hop over the lines in the sidewalk. 
Where the concrete is cracked, weeds push through, 
   spreading along the seam like a tiny forest, 
         roots winding down, down into the earth below."

Do you sometimes wake up in the morning with just a hint of a dream you were dreaming still in your head? The young girl in this story can't quite remember what she was dreaming about. The first illustration makes that abundantly clear for readers. While having breakfast with her bunny friend, she feels a bit foggy. 

As she wanders outside, last night's rain remains in ocean-like puddles that support all types of marine life. Once the brain fog has cleared and she is bent on exploring her natural surroundings, she settles in to some regular routines that still seem slightly surreal. 

Her senses are fully alert as she wanders free. Filling the bird feeder results in a wide variety of creatures hidden nearby; biting into an apple offers a taste worth writing about in a poem; the cracked lines in the sidewalk make a home for a multitude of tiny blossoms; pigeons leave and return to a rooftop in a flurry of purple and green; a busker fills the air with music from his violin; and the old maple tree in the end of the park offers safe haven for a girl seeking shady comfort. 

She is not done yet. She still has time to watch a boy and his dog, to roll down a hill, and to watch a line of ants as they carry food to their home colony. What wonder for the senses is found in this magical, natural world. Only then does she remember a whiff od her morning dream ... a secret from the ocean. That reminder is forgotten when she hears a friend's voice that causes her to run forward into the real world for hugs and a happy reunion. 

Ms. Sanei's exceptional images, created in acrylic gouache and color pencil, then finished digitally, beautifully strengthen the measured words chosen to provide the sights and sounds of nature. The changing perpectives invite close attention, and the chosen colors add depth and surprise.  

The world is an astounding place!