FARMER ENNO AND HIS COW

Every time Farmer Enno falls asleep, he dreams of sailing, and upon awakening, discovers a boat memento of his dream left behind. The first is a small orange toy boat, but the boats become larger until finally his farm looks more like a shipyard. Enno and his cow, Africa, seek medical help in the city. But Enno barely falls asleep in the hospital when a giant ship crashes through the wall. In desperation, Enno heads for the ocean, deciding that at least if the ships get bigger, there's a place to put them. Yet just as Enno realizes he might like to go for a sail, the dreams stop; he and Africa return to the farm, and all the boats have vanished. The only solution, Africa suggests, is to sell the farm and buy a boat. The illustrations show the city they left behind littered with drums, trailers, trains, and pianosthe objects of others who are just beginning to dream. Rassmus is a talented artist, working with images that are lyrical, vivid, and strongly narrative. The plot is not as fluid, but underlying it is poetry enough to keep the entire story afloat. (Picture book. 5-9)