The Dreams I'll Dream Tonight

by Sarah Ruhl, Sally Deng (illustrator)

From celebrated two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, playwright, poet, and professor Sarah Ruhl comes a cozy sweet dreams guide book wherein a child empowers themself to fight their nightmares with whimsical images of love and comfort.

Read just one more book to me
The way you always do
Then I won’t dream of dragons.
Instead, I’ll dream of you.

When bad dreams and scary things threaten a child’s peaceful sleep, they ask for one more bedtime story to fill their head with kittens, kisses, and the love they have for their family.

Genres: Picture Books

40 pages, Hardcover

Published July 22, 2025

About the author

Sarah Ruhl (born 1974) is an American playwright. She is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for a distinguished American playwright in mid-career.

Originally, she intended to be a poet. However, after she studied under Paula Vogel at Brown University (A.B., 1997; M.F.A., 2001), she was persuaded to switch to playwriting. Her first play was The Dog Play, written in 1995 for one of Vogel's classes. Her roots in poetry can be seen in the way she uses language in her plays. She also did graduate work at Pembroke College, Oxford.

In September 2006, she received a MacArthur Fellowship. The announcement of that award stated: "Sarah Ruhl, 32, playwright, New York City. Playwright creating vivid and adventurous theatrical works that poignantly juxtapose the mundane aspects of daily life with mythic themes of love and war."

Reviews

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was lovely — the illustrations made this story about dreaming feel even more whimsical. A little boy, tells his mother what he won’t have nightmares about but rather what he’ll dream of. I remember as a kid doing this.. before bed trying to fill my head with amazing and delightful things to keep the bad dreams at bay. Coming 7/22 2025

[Cindy Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so cute! The words match the illustrations perfectly, and help the words to soar. It also shows how easily our dream images morph from something cuddly and sweet to something that is much more sinister. The detailed illustrations in colored pencil depict a lot of dreamy images of dragons, cats, and all sorts of other dream animals.

[Alyssa Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Dreams I'll Dream Tonight" by Sarah Ruhl is a comforting bedtime picture book that gently guides children to dream about hope, love, and pleasant things, rather than nightmares. This book follows a child at bedtime as they actively choose what to dream about, turning away from scary nighttime images and opting for more pleasant scenes, such as hippos sipping tea or kittens playing. The child's narration is rhythmic and playful. facing down the fear of imagined monsters and transforming them into gentle, amusing creatures ( like a kitten with its tail in the air). This allows the child to have confidence in their ability to shape their dreams. The story as the child who drifts off to sleep, feeling empowered to have sweet dreams of family, love, and fantastical adventures instead of any nighttime worries or fears.

This book is ideal for young children ages 4-8, by validating children's nighttime fears while offering them tool to face their fears, such as love, imagination, and storytelling. This can let a child transform their dreams from something bad into something that is filled with joy and comfort. It is perfect for children with bedtime anxieties as well as for families looking for a poetic, tender way to end the day on a note of hope and connection.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

What a sweet book! The illustrations are soft and sweet (even the scarier ones) and the nightmares turned to relaxing dreams are fun. There also is a beautiful message throughout about a parent/child love for one another, reminding them in no-so-many-words that the child is safe even when they are sleeping. Lastly, I love that the last pages encourage parents and little ones to decide how they can turn their bad dream around into a good one.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The little boy pleads for just one more book. “Then I won't dream of dragons… instead I’ll dream of you.” Then he begins his campaign to abolish his bad dreams and instead dream of a “hippo sipping tea, plums that turn to pears, a dream inside a dream and a kiss upon your nose.”

The gentle, pastel illustrations and the lyrical text will immediately relax your little one as you share this tale. It even includes a last page which prompts the reader to dream sweet dreams. This is a book for preschoolers, but even older children who are struggling with bad dreams.

[Julie B. (readingonthebrink) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect bedtime story! Truly, for any age ❤️

Not only are the illustrations magical (I could lose hours pouring over them), The Dreams I'll Dream Tonight is such a calming, pacifiying, wind down bedtime 🌙 book. Though obviously geared for littlest who have a hard time with monsters in the closet, I feel this book could be read at all ages as a reminder for self-guided imagery before bedtime. We all need a way to quiet our brains in order to sleepwear, and Rulh's message does just that.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet picture book about conquering fears and bad dreams just before bedtime. It will make a great bedtime book, especially with the interactive last page inviting readers to talk about what they'll dream about. The illustrations are stunning and full of color, and I love how the medium switches from colored pencils during the dreams to acrylic paint for real life.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations by Sally Deng really stand out in Sarah Ruhl's The Dreams I'll Dream Tonight, which depict a young boy who is not going to have nightmares but instead happy dreams. This is a cute children's picture book with strong messaging around focusing on the good over bad/scary.

Thank you to Simon Kids for the gifted copy.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and sweet bedtime story about sweet dreams that is heightened by its stunning and clever illustrations. The choice to use paints for the "waking world" and colored pencils for the "dream world" really helped delineate the two without making it disjointed.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another glorious picture book illustrated by Sally Deng. An imaginative, playful bedtime journey that manages to be exciting and soothing at the same time. It's the storybook equivalent of a kiss on the forehead. Lovely.

[Patricia Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations are a 5

[Sassygirl87 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the illustrations in the book and the chant at the end was beautiful.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book! Both my son and I loved it!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whimsical and beautifully illustrated book about all the dreams a little boy will have.

[Bant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated bedtime book turns dreams into wonderful fantasies.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up for the illustrations.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet and very cozy.

[Cristy (Quinnbook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nightmares, something that we all experience. They can be frightening or just spooky. In The Dreams I’ll Dream Tonight, the author has created such a beautiful tale of bravery and wonder. A young boy with the help of books will try and take control of his nightmares and convert them into soothing lullabies. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and full of beautiful pastel color and enchanting creating. This picture book is perfect for all ages.