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

by David Farr (Author)

An exhilarating, wondrous middle grade debut about a brother and sister on a quest to defeat a tyrannical ruler and protect a magical book, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman and Katherine Rundell.

Rachel and Robert live a gray, dreary life under the rule of cruel and calculating Charles Malstain. That is, until one night, when their librarian father enlists their help to steal a forbidden book.

Before their father is captured, Rachel and Robert are given one mission: find the missing final page.

But to uncover the secrets of The Book of Stolen Dreams, the siblings must face darkness and combat many evils to be rewarded with the astonishing, magical truth about the book. Nevertheless, they resolve to do everything in their power to stop it from falling into Charles Malstain's hands. For if it does, he could rule their world forever.

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ALA/Booklist

Farr's action-packed adventure will keep you on your toes as readers get both Rachel's and Robert's points of view with whimsical narration...a hopeful tale of bravery and resilience.

Kirkus

Sparkling and timely.


Publishers Weekly

Two siblings are tasked with keeping a magical text out of a despotic ruler's hands in this bustling children's debut, a duology opener, from playwright and screenwriter Farr. Following the invasion of Krasnia, the militarized New World Order led by Charles Malstain results quickly in censorship and regulation--especially of children. On Rachel Klein's 11th birthday, she and her brother Robert witness the arrest of their librarian father after he takes The Book of Stolen Dreams, a magical tome "hundreds of years old and the strangest and most beautiful book in the whole library," from his workplace. Their mother's death soon follows, and now-12-year-old Rachel and 13-year-old Robert, subsequently separated, risk everything to keep the powerful book from Malstain and to find a missing page. While Robert is ensnared in political intrigue, Rachel seeks to find him, with help from a mysterious family of illustrators. Alternating between the siblings' perspectives, third-person narration breaks the fourth wall, leavening fittingly dark matter with humor and whimsical details that will appeal to readers of Kelly Barnhill and Lemony Snicket, while a poignant finale revives the plot's uneven momentum. Protagonists read as white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Stephanie Thwaites, Curtis Brown (U.K.). (May)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 
David Farr
David Farr is a playwright, screenwriter, stage director, and film and TV director whose plays have been performed all over the world. He's the author of The Stolen Dreams Adventures series.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781665922586
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date
May 21, 2024
Series
The Stolen Dreams Adventures
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV001010 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure | Survival Stories
Library of Congress categories
Magic
Fantasy
Fantasy fiction
Books
Siblings
Novels

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