  | Dream on Author: Hale, Shannon | |
| Price: $20.48 | ||
Summary:
Something is missing from Cassie's life. Her parents don't have much money, she has to share her bedroom (and bed!) with her sisters, her family never seems to have time for her and her best friend Valeri is always busy with a new friend. When Cassie gets a letter from a magazine sweepstakes with the words "YOU'RE A WINNER" stamped on the front, she thinks it's the answer to all her problems. But will prizes really solve her problems? In graphic novel format.
| Illustrator: | Cespesdes, Marcela |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (06/15/25)
School Library Journal (06/01/25)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
The Hornbook (00/11/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 06/01/2025 *Starred Review* Mourn not for the thought balloon. It's currently in short supply since comics—particularly superhero comics—have become ever more cinematic, but Hale and Cespedes have reinvented this once-ubiquitous device to support the emotions of their story like a dream. In the form of expressive, disconnected shapes, they float around the eager, imaginative, and sensitive Cassie, deepening her character and making her anxieties and hopes more vibrant and more urgent. And nothing could be more appropriate to this story of Cassie’s crowded family, shifting friendships, and transforming perspective. It’s the stuff of everyday life for kids Cassie’s age, but what could possibly be more important, more anxiety-producing, or more joyous? Cassie experiences all those emotions as she navigates transitions in her school life, her primary friendship, and her family relationships, learning to redefine her expectations, deciding what’s worth holding on tight to, discovering unexpected wisdom, and, most significantly, figuring out how her own emotions both help and hinder her. And those magical thought balloons draw readers right into the heart of it. As a companion to her autobiographical Real Friends (2017), this will already be on the radar of Hale’s many fans, while newcomers can instantly latch onto the themes and the accessibly realistic but enjoyably witty art, filled with recognizable body language and occasional flights of sparkling fancy. Consider multiple copies of this one.High-Demand Backstory: Hale is one of the biggest names in the middle-grade comics space; any new title from her is cause for celebration. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
