Origami Orchestra (2018) is a beautiful children’s picture book sure to encourage sweet dreams.  The gorgeous bedtime story is thoughtfully written by Ammie Elliott. The story, told in the first-person, follows a young child into their artful dream, which is sumptuously depicted by Travis McCoy who uses a variety of deep colors and evocative patterns to amplify the story’s essential whimsy. In their dream world, the child happens upon an orchestra of origami characters playing instruments in a forest alive with origami birds. Transported into a fantasy land infused with music and art the child wanders among harps and flutes taking it all in.

McCoy’s art creates a silent symphony with beautifully rendered images that compliment Elliott’s thoughtful rhymes. I was impressed with how well word and image work together to create a mood ideal for inspiring delightfully quirky dreams.

I mentioned that it’s the perfect bedtime story, and it is, but it could also be used in classrooms or homeschool curriculum to discuss music and the arts. It would pair well with an activity creating origami birds like those that glide across the page!