Thank you to Usborne Publishing an Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway But, my dear—why do you look so sad? Is it the poor quality of the hot chocolate? No, I see now. Your parents aren’t here with you. You are alone. Where are they?” As if sensing what she was thinking, the little man stood beside her at the rail and spoke quietly.

A lot had to do with the writing and the set up of the story. This story is written from a third person omniscient point of view as we follow two siblings. I felt so far removed from these characters however. The start was okay, I could feel the love for their parents and especially their father but when it comes to the setting and world, not so much. Some children may skim over the deeper messages of this book, but they provide crucial opportunities for discussions, both at home and in the classroom. 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. 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. 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.

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No. I suspect you come from the poorer north of the city, from a family of artists. Your eyes are musical, and your nose gives me the strongest impression that you have a piano in your living room.” Sí, sÍ, SÍ. AL FIN UN LIBRO DE 5 ESTRELLAS ESTE AÑO. He tardado y me ha costado pero aquí está. Quiero darles las gracias a Robert y Rachel Klein por ser unos protagonistas increíbles. La historia es alucinante y te digo yo que todo lo que contiene la trama con muertes, torturas y movidas políticas no puede ser un libro para niños.

Na última página, descobrimos que haverá um segundo livro, o que me agradou imenso, pois adorei a Rachel e o Robert. Lo que más me ha gustado ha sido la historia… ES QUE ES ALUCINANTE. Cada vez que acabas un capítulo te dan ganas de leer otro porque acaba con el inicio de otra movida más chunga todavía. Lo que más me ha gustado son sus aventuras tipo que flipo con que una niña de 12 años viaje sola a otro país que está en otro continente solo porque le han dado una notita. (No es spoiler, es el primer capítulo)

Table of Contents

The story is in part inspired by Farr’s family history, based on his Great Aunt and Uncle’s escape from Nazi Germany - but reimagined in a fantasy dictatorship. This is a story that values bravery, the magic of books and the influence of individuals who follow the right course even when the world around them feels oppressive. The Book of Stolen Dreams offers a tense and thrilling adventure, but one in which Farr allows the youngest characters to win the day - providing a hope-filled reminder that good can triumph over tyranny in a million small, everyday ways. Rachel wiped her eyes and said she would. She looked out across the darkness. It was endless and unknowable. My dear, listen to me very carefully. Your brother will find you—or you will find him. I promise you.” 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.

From the west? A charming area. Full of the best-dressed women.” He studied her. “And yet I sense in you a different spirit.”This is a superbly written book that I highly recommend for children who are not put off by a little darkness in the stories they read. This tense and exciting fantasy thriller is complex and magical with some great characters – both heroic and evil.

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. Along the way we meet a host of characters - at both ends of the spectrum. Malstain is a shadowy villain, orchestrating terrible deeds for his own selfish reasons. Opposing him are a motley crew, and not all are guaranteed to do the right thing when asked. We don’t know why this has happened, but Farr immediately sets up a tense and unsettling atmosphere. We are introduced to our protagonists, Robert and Rachel Klein, when they accompany their father to the lending library where he works. This journey is done at night, and nobody is told about it so we know it is dangerous. All we know is that it has something to do with The Book of Stolen Dreams that Felix Klein steals - rumours are that it is scheduled to be destroyed - and charges his children with protecting until they can hand it over to a man called Solomon.Rachel isn’t sure why the secret she’s keeping is so important but she knows it holds the key to freeing Brava from its cruel, tyrannical dictator and the only way she’ll ever get to see her father again. Robert and Rachel are the two main characters who happen to be siblings. Their father, Felix, is a librarian who takes them on Rachel's birthday to the library in the quest of an adventure and to find a forbidden book, the book of stolen dreams. They get the precious book but Felix gets arrested by the brutal President Charles Malstains' soldiers and put into prison. The book withholds some secrets that Charles Malstain is after. Now it's up to Robert and Rachel to find the secret of the book and return it to it's rightful owners. But in the process of doing so, they make many friends but enemies too who are also after the book.