I suspect I’ll be doing a bit of gushing in a bit here, so let me start first with what this book is not.  Is it a gripping thriller with action-packed energy that will keep the reluctant readers flipping pages long after lights out?  No, not so much.  Is it a clear and accurate account of Chilean politics and history?  Not really.  Is it even a complete look at the life of famous poet (and later Communism supporter) Pablo Neruda?  Nope, can’t say that it is.

This is the story of a young boy, Neftali, who was a dreamer.  His life, his love of words, his slow blooming of self.  I found it incredibly inspiring, soothingly lyrical, and amazingly well-told.  See?  Warned you there’d be gushing. 😉

The Dreamer, by Pam Munoz Ryan, begins when Neftali, who would grow up to use the pen name of Pablo Neruda and become a world famous poet, was just a little boy who wanted to get well and be allowed to go to school.  He was sickly, and his over-bearing (and, I suspect, abusive) father saw that as his fault.  He wasn’t grounded enough in the real world, always day dreaming and reading books.  This conflict over Neftali’s love of language and connection to the natural world remained a source of strident confrontation throughout the book.  The father does not grow, and does not change, and while a part of me wanted to see Neftali one day stand up to his father in a direct conflict–and win–neither happens.  However, Neftali does not allow his father to crush his spirit, or compromise his ideals.  He stays true to those things he believes in, and, like whispered words on a breeze, slips around and through the locked doors his father places in his path.

The conflict within the family is mirrored by their larger circle of family and friends, and by the country.  In this way, it’s understood that the issues of free speech and social justice that are being trampled in Neftali’s home are larger than one boy and his father.  Truly, the layers of conflict were brilliantly sculpted by the author, Ms. Ryan!  As were the themes of friendship, heroism, and hope through dreams.  I was also extremely impressed with how the undercurrent of violence and hovering abuse was handled.  While an adult can easily read between the lines, and children would quickly pick up on the oppression and wrongness present in Neftali’s home, the issue never took the book into a darker realm where younger readers couldn’t follow.  In fact, the subject would probably raise useful questions, while leaving children with a sense of hope.  For the poor kids who are in a bad situation at home, I could see the book bringing a sense of light, and a dream for them to hold on to.

But enough of my gushing.  Let’s see what Apricot-kitty thought of it:

“Aside from that bit about the swan, and the boy and his sister’s struggles at the ocean, I liked it.  It set me dreaming of dappled sunshine, falling through green fluttering leaves to a bed of warmed earth.  The perfect bad for a cat, of course.”

There now, even the cat approves!  I should also note that the illustrations, done by artist Peter Sis, were a seamless addition to the book, allowing the poetry to swell on their artistic breath and come alive in the process.  Pick up a copy, and prepare to feed your inner poet. 🙂

For more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday reviews, interviews, spotlights and giveaways, stop by Shannon Messenger’s blog, and happy reading!

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