The Book of Stolen Dreams (The Stolen Dreams Adventures)

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When things are tough, you want those around you to be people you can trust. In the world we encounter at the start of this wondrous story, that is not necessarily the case. Under the rule of Charles Malstain life is dreary, and anyone who does not do as he requests is made to disappear. This is a time of dark secrets, where family are suspicious of each other and where things are about to get worse.

The story is set in an alternate world, which in my mind I pictured as similar to 1920s Russia. The weather is cold and an oppressive regime has seized power. There is some technology, such as cars and airships, yet the only phones available are ones that connect to the wall, music comes from violins and pianos and messages are sent via letter or written in books. 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.The children escape, but have to watch their father beaten by Malstain’s forces. They are subject to intimidation in their home as those under Malstain search desperately for the Book that the children vow to protect, though they don’t really know why. 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!

As we follow Rachel and Robert in their task, they are placed in extreme peril. They suffer in the way that only young children in stories can. The odds are against them. They are pitched into a battle they might not win…but their determination to do the right thing and their bravery makes for a gripping story. Rachel wiped her eyes and said she would. She looked out across the darkness. It was endless and unknowable. 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. Esta história é inspirada na família do escritor, nomeadamente uma tia-avó e tio-avô, que conseguiram fugir nos Nazis, na Alemanha.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.