Mommy, Daddy, I Had a Bad Dream! is for children 3 and up, especially those who have bad dreams or nightmares. It both entertains children and also gives them the tools they need to understand their dreams and the feelings that cause them. It also provides parents with loving and effective strategies for responding to children who wake them in the night with bad dreams. The essence of the story is a progression in which Joey, an adorable kangaroo, goes from believing in and being tormented by his bad dreams to understanding that he is their author. By the fourth and last dream, Joey can recognize by himself that certain of the day's events stimulated him to create an unpleasant experience for himself in his sleep. As a result, he goes peacefully and confidently back to sleep without needing to be helped by his parents.