Dreamers

                                                                         Book Review:

Bibliography-

Morales, Y. (2018). Dreamers. Neal Porter Books Publisher.

ISBN 0823440559

Plot Summary- 

We are resilience. We are hope. We are dreamers. Yuyi Morales brought her hopes, her passion, her strength, and her stories with her, when she came to the United States in 1994 with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn't come empty-handed.

Critical Analysis-

Dreamers is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. It is about finding your way in a new place, navigating an unfamiliar world and finding the best parts of it. In dark times, it's a promise that you can make better tomorrows. This brilliantly illustrated picture book memoir looks at the myriad of gifts migrants bring with them when they leave their homes. It's a story to remind us that we are all dreamers, bringing our own strengths wherever we go. The text is lyrical and complemented by detailed illustrations, rich in symbolism. Also included is a brief autobiographical essay about Yuyi's own experience, a list of books that inspired her (and still do), and a description of the beautiful images, textures, and mementos she used to create this book. Morales’ prose moves easily between English and Spanish, celebrating her bilingualism and proudly rejecting the idea that learning English in the United States should require the abandonment of her first language. A parallel Spanish-language edition, Soñadores, is also available.

Review Excerpts-

Winner of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award
New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book
New York Times Bestseller
Flora Stieglitz Strauss Award
2019 Boston Globe - Horn Book Honor Recipient

"An immigrant's tale steeped in hope, dreams, and love . .. a resplendent masterpiece."—Kirkus Starred Review

"Sparkling . . . what it's like to become a creative being in two languages, and to learn to love in both."—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

 "The narrative text is poetic and full of emotion. . . .  the mixed-media illustrations are breathtaking, created through painting, drawing, photography, and embroidery. The joyous imagination and intricacy of each illustration will make readers of all ages explore them further. . . . "—Booklist Starred Review

Connections-

-Post reading questions for students to answer in a reading response journal or in a discussion group.

  1. Why do you believe the family was afraid to speak in the new place they lived?
  2. What does the family do to understand the language better in the new place?
  3. Based on the author’s personal story, what can you learn about communicating with others in a new place?

-Pair this book with: La Frontera: El Viaje con Papá/My Journey with Papa

By: Deborah Mills and Alfredo Alva

ISBN 978-1-78285-388-6

For elementary students, the concept of “borders” is sometimes too abstract. Before reading these two books, have a group discussion about borders. Ask them what they think the word means. You can ask them to draw a picture of a border, just to see what they conceptualize. Do they know the border between their house and their neighbor’s, the school and its neighbor? Have they ever noticed when they have crossed a border, leaving your city, town, or state?

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