The Book of Stolen Dreams (The Stolen Dreams Adventures): 1

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For teacher friends, this book would serve as a great stimulus to inspire writing. I would plan sequences of lessons around the following writing genres: Oh, my dear Isabella! But it’s an all-too-common story these days. Did he put up a fight? No? It was probably wise of him. You don’t mess with Charles Malstain’s state police. In the days of the Emperor, if soldiers came to arrest you, they offered a polite smile, a bunch of flowers, or a box of chocolate hearts. But these days the police have neither reason nor manners. And there are no chocolate hearts.” The magic that was uncovered proved fascinating. I loved its slow introduction in the book and loved learning how it impacted the lives of these children. David Farr integrated it seamlessly into the story and I was engaged in all the different aspects that combined to make this a fascinating and fast-paced story. This gave me all the vibes of Inkheart, and Northern Lights, while reminding me that these days, it's quite unusual for characters to die in middle grade books. Seeing characters killed off and tortured added to the stakes of this adventure story, I just found the middle quite slow.

The adventure is well thought out, set within a dark and oppressive land ruled by a dark dictator who hates children. There are parallels to be drawn with chapters in history as well as certain events in today’s world, painting a grim picture of life under highly restrictive rules and regulations. With almost every kind of fun being outlawed and teaching undertaken under very tight guidelines, Rachel and Robert still manage to be a beacon of light and hope throughout. The mix of characters here provides such wonderful possibilities. From the evil tyrant president who hates children and has turned a country into a wasteland, from the brave, smart, adorable kids like Rachel and Robert on a mission to save their father and the whole country, to a whole heap of side-characters that either made me giggle, or want to hug the book. Esta história é inspirada na família do escritor, nomeadamente uma tia-avó e tio-avô, que conseguiram fugir nos Nazis, na Alemanha. Excuse me. I couldn’t help noticing you are alone. Please, my dear girl, you have no reason to fear.”

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The plot and the characters worked brilliantly. The main aim of the plot was clear and easy to follow and it was made wonderfully intriguing by the misunderstandings, near-misses and scheming from different characters. The underlying commentaries on kindness, family, love and death kept the story interesting and gave me plenty to think about after I'd read it. You haven’t heard from him? Do you know where he lives? You don’t even have a telephone number? Then how will you find him? Now don’t cry, I was only asking a question. Of course you will find him, even though Port Clement is a city of seventeen million people and he has no idea you’re coming. Why are you crying again? Here I am trying to cheer you up and I only make things worse! My problem, Isabella, is I speak before I think. My mother—a marvelous woman—was very critical of this flaw of mine. Forgive me.” Sure signs that the creative wells are running dry at last, the Captain’s ninth, overstuffed outing both recycles a villain (see Book 4) and offers trendy anti-bullying wish fulfillment. Rachel wiped her eyes and said she would. She looked out across the darkness. It was endless and unknowable.

The magical side of the book doesn't dominate and it doesn't overwhelm and confuse, which I was delighted about. We get to read the dreams that comprise this book, and these are wonderful little segment, not too long, but just right, and I wish the ARC had illustrations. I can't even imagine how gorgeous the physical copy will be! Ahhh, I wish I had one right now! From the west? A charming area. Full of the best-dressed women.” He studied her. “And yet I sense in you a different spirit.” The overall atmosphere was fantastic, it was easy to imagine all the quirky clothing, from people having penguin hats to pointy noses that looked like beaks, to legs of dictators that looked like carrots. And then, of course, there is the aspect of a library and a book, and if you're a bookworm, which I believe most of you reading this are, how could you not be interested in a bookish, magical, adventure.Rachel is escaping her home in the city of Brava and heading to Port St. Clement to find her brother. Her mother is dead and her father in prison. She is cold, hungry and hasn’t slept for days.