Skip to main content

The Dreamer

By



by Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis
Scholastic, 2010. 370 pgs. Fiction


Pam Munoz Ryan's exquisite framing of the young life of Neftali Reyes, later to become Pablo Neruda, Novel prize winning Chilean poet and one of the greats of 20th Century literature, is evocative, persistently lovely, and universal in its expression of the links between art and nature. Neftali loves words and collects objects and visions of beautiful things. He longs for friends and an exchange of gifts under the fence with a "friend" he will never meet changes his life and his view of the world. But his father, alas, is particularly unfriendly, always pushing him to excel at math and to prepare himself to be a doctor, a dentist, or a man of business, things he neither loves nor does well. Neftali's inability to ever please his father is increasingly painful to him, but never moves him from his life's purpose. Ryan's poetic prose reflects Neftali's gifts as well as his life and The Dreamer, words and pictures, bids well to become a classic.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

De la hora del cuento: La letra "F"

By
Cuentos Gustavo: el fantasmita timido Por Flavia Z. Drago Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2020. Libro ilustrado. "Conoce a Gustavo. Él es un fantasma y como a cualquier ser paranormal le encanta hacer lo que le es normal: atravesar paredes, hacer volar objetos y brillar en la oscuridad. También le encanta tocar el violín. Pero Gustavo tiene un problema. Él es muy, muy tímido, y aunque su deseo más grande es tener amigos, nunca se ha atrevido a hablarle a ninguno de los monstruos en su pueblito. Con el Día de Muertos cerca, ¿se atreverá Gustavo a dejar que lo vean?" --Editor Cuentitos ¡Yo sola! Por Sumana Seeboruth y Maribel Castells Concord : Barefoot Books, 2023. Pequeño libro ilustrado. "Yo sola. ¡No, no, no! Puedo hacerlo. ¡Vete, vete, vete! Esta niña no quiere que la ayuden ... hasta que su hermana mayor necesita ayuda. ¡El trabajo en equipo es divertido!" --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "F" El bosque en familia Maisy juega fútbol Lo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Alina in Her Roots

By
Alina in Her Roots Written by Shenaaz Nanji Illustrations by Beena Mistry Toronto, ON : Second Story Press, 2026. Intermediate. 91 pages. Alina is traveling by herself from her home in Canada to Nairobi, Kenya. But it's more than just a vacation to visit her favorite cousin Safi—Alina is on a secret mission to find her roots. Her family history started in India with her great-great-great-grandparents. Her parents were born in Kenya, then moved to Canada where she was born. She's heard stories about Kenya but wants to know where she fits in and to find what she is missing. Nairobi is a welcoming, vibrant, exciting place where so much feels so different. Alina writes journal entries to her Nani about her experiences, finding ways to make her own stories through matatu rides, trips to the market, a safari, and meals shared with new loved ones. This is a really well-written, cheerful and reassuring realistic fiction about the adventure of exploring different places and cultures. 
Post a Comment
Read more

From Story Time: The Letter "F"

By
Preschool Time Family of Friends Written by Varsha Bajaj Illustrated by Ishaa Lobo New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025. Picture Book. Isha can't wait for her birthday party. Nani, her fun-loving grandmother, is coming all the way from India to be there! So when Nani has to postpone her trip, Isha is crushed. She no longer feels like celebrating. Fortunately, she has a whole neighborhood of friends to cheer her up, and they all work together to make her day truly special. This moving intergenerational story shows the impact that chosen family can have and is a wonderful reminder to appreciate all the important people in our lives. --Publisher Preschool Time Found By Salina Yoon New York: Walker Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Bloomsbury, 2014. Picture Book. Upon finding a toy rabbit in the forest, Bear tries his very best to return it to its home but by the time its owner appears, Bear has become attached to Bunny. --Editor Toddler Time On All Fours By Gaëtan Dorémus Brooklyn...
Post a Comment
Read more