★ “. . . groundbreaking, child-friendly and marvelously inclusive.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “While lots of books show children how to play, this one suggests that using what’s at hand to “dream up” new things
is vital to creativity; as the books’ epigraph says, ‘If they can dream it, they can build it.’”—Horn Book, starred review
ALA Notable Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award Winner
International Reading Association Honor Award
Eureka! Award California Reading Association
Armadillo Readers’ Choice Award Nominee
Kentucky Bluegrass Master List
Monarch Award Master List
Silver Bells Honor List
Read! Build! Play! Reading List of Books that Inspire Play, ALSC and Lego
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
★ starred reviews Kirkus, The Horn Book
DREAMING UP: A Celebration of Building
written and illustrated by Christy Hale
Lee & Low Books
A collection of illustrations, concrete poetry, and photographs that shows how young children’s constructions, created as they play, are reflected in notable works of architecture from around the world.
Want more resources?
Get a copy of the teacher’s curriculum guide for use with Common Core State Standards
Have fun with these downloadable activities
Watch this video to learn about some of the architecture that inspired the poetry and art in my book,
and also how you can write your own concrete poem.
Watch this video to learn about a village made out of mud! Learn about the architect who was a pioneer in sustainable building. Make your own mud pies.
Learn about a building architect Kenzo Tange created for the whole world, and then use the same design engineering to build your own private space—a blanket fort!