In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Reviewed by:
  • The Dream Stealer
  • Kate Quealy-Gainer
Fleischman, Sid. The Dream Stealer; illus. by Peter Sís. Greenwillow, 2009 89p. ISBN 978-0-06-175563-7 $16.99 R Gr. 2-4

With this whimsical tale based on Mexican lore, Fleischman and illustrator Sís revive their chapter-book collaboration (see The 13th Floor, BCCB 10/95) in an appealing outing. Our intrepid heroine, Susana (spelled with one n, thank you), has been rather miserable ever since her best friend, Consuelo Louisa, moved away from their small town. On this particular evening, Susana is enjoying a pleasant dream of horseback riding and picnics with her missing friend when her vision is abruptly snatched away. She realizes it must be the fault of that bandit the chili-eating Dream Stealer, and she decides to follow the thief to his castle and demand the return of her dream. Fleischman's imagination clearly runs wild at the Dream Stealer's home, a castle populated with demons, snooty butlers, dreamlike fireflies, and two-headed ogres. Sís' characteristically intricate pen and ink drawings add a touch of playfulness to prevent the tale from getting too frightening; Susana, of course, uses all her plucky resourcefulness to escape the castle and reach her well-deserved happy ending. This is about delight rather than depth, and as such it's a charming tale that will have young readers on the lookout for dream-stealing fairies as they prepare for their own bedtimes.

...

pdf

Share