Gideon's Dream: A Tale of New Beginnings

Gideon's Dream: A Tale of New Beginnings

Gideon goes to work high up in the trees, day in and day out. But one day something remarkable happens—the leaf he is working on breaks free of the tree, taking Gideon on its flight. At first Gideon is terrified, but as he glides gracefully through the air, his fear turns into sheer joy. What a rush it is to fly! After he lands, Gideon just can't get the experience out of his head. He dreams of once again soaring through the air and feeling so free. Will Gideon's dreams of flying ever come true, or is it just too late? Written by some of America's most visionary thinkers, Gideon's Dream is the story of one remarkable transformation. This inspirational tale shows that growth and change are forever a part of life and that it's never too late to follow your dreams. Kindergarten-Grade 2—Quite accidentally, Gideon, a grub, briefly experiences the exhilarating, free-flying life that awaits him as a butterfly. This first taste of freedom—a thrilling though somewhat scary descent to earth while perched on a falling leaf—fills him with a single purpose. He dreams of flying and "would figure out this…thing if it was the last thing this little grub would ever do." Retiring to a reed in a meadow where he builds a cabin, Gideon devotes himself to trying to solve the mystery of flight. But, ultimately, nature intervenes, and he emerges from his chrysalis to find that he has wings. Reassuringly, the midnight-blue illustrations make way for the "gray-green and growing grasses" of a springtime morning. Splashes of vibrant color adorn both the final pages and the endpapers, showing the magnificence of caterpillars transformed into soaring butterflies. As a metaphor for maximizing human potential, however, the book falls short as readers will not be convinced that Gideon's dreams and ambitions have anything to do with his growth and change. More dazzling titles on the topic of metamorphosis include Lois Ehlert's Waiting for Wings (Harcourt, 2001) and Anne Rockwell's Becoming Butterflies (Walker, 2002).— Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. “An inspiring journey of transformation for both children and adults. Well done!” - Deepak Chopra, M.D. “A truly charming, touching and uplifting children’s book that parents will also love. As times change, we look for the myths that speak to us now. Gideon’s Dream has the feel of a classic already. It is a beautiful story told for our time and our family loved it!” - Jack Canfield Gideon goes to work high up in the trees, day in and day out. But one day something remarkable happens—the leaf he is working on breaks free of the tree, taking Gideon on its flight. At first Gideon is terrified, but as he glides gracefully through the air, his fear turns into sheer joy. What a rush it is to fly! After he lands, Gideon just can't get the experience out of his head. He dreams of once again soaring through the air and feeling so free. Will Gideon's dreams of flying ever come true, or is it just too late? Written by some of America's most visionary thinkers, Gideon's Dream is the story of one remarkable transformation. This inspirational tale shows that growth and change are forever a part of life and that it's never too late to follow your dreams. Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., is a renowned psychologist, gerontologist and public speaker and the bestselling author of 15 books, including The Power Years , Bodymind , Age Wave and Workforce Crisis . His firm, Age Wave, has consulted on product and service development for baby boomers for more than half the Fortune 500 businesses. He has been featured on 60 Minutes and Oprah as well as in the Wall Street Journal , The Globe and Mail , National Post , Maclean’s and TIME . Ken and Maddy Dychtwald are the cofounders of Age Wave and deliver keynote speeches to more than 150,000 business leaders every year on themes of continued personal growth and metamorphosis. They have been featured in such prestigious publications as The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , Time , and Newsweek and have appeared on Good Morning America . This is their first children's book together. Dave Zaboski is a former Disney animator whose credits include such beloved contemporary classics as The Lion King , Aladdin , and Beauty and the Beast . He lectures and teaches at his alma mater, the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, as well as Disney Studios; the Esalen Institute; Sony Studios; the University of Southern California; and the University of California, Los Angeles. He lives in Southern California. Grace Zaboski is his seven-year-old daughter.