Starred review from April 12, 2021
Employing the refrain “someone has to build the dream,” Wheeler highlights the often-underappreciated physical labor that goes into making just about anything: houses, bridges, fountains, wind turbines, amusement parks—even books. While architects, artists, scientists, and book creators are important, the text observes, their work comes to life thanks to those who make their visions tangible. Utilizing bouncy rhymes (“Someone works to mine the ore,/ smelt the iron,/ pour the beam.// Someone needs to weld the steel./ Someone has to build the dream”), Wheeler peeks behind the scenes, appreciating such workers as welders, plumbers, typesetters, and more. Long’s rich, light-filled illustrations, rendered in acrylics and colored pencil, paint an inclusive world of people of varying abilities, skin tones, hair textures, and religions. A powerful tribute to skilled tradespeople that emphasizes the teamwork necessary to make the world run. Ages 5–8.
