The Book of Stolen Dreams (The Stolen Dreams Adventures #1) (Hardcover)
Staff Reviews
"This British import is the perfect high fantasy for middle-grade readers. Rachel and Robert Klein must
uncover the secrets hidden within a mysterious book after their father, a librarian at North Brava’s
Public Lending Library, is arrested for hiding it from Krasnia’s (the book’s fictional setting) unrelenting
dictator Charles Malstain. Malstain unsurprisingly intends to use the book’s power for selfish, nefarious
purposes. David Farr masterfully weaves larger philosophical questions of morality, censorship, and
absolute power into a thrilling yet heartwarming tale."--Reviewed by Cristina
An exhilarating, wondrous middle grade debut about a brother and sister on a quest to defeat a tyrannical ruler and protect a magical book, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman and Katherine Rundell.
Rachel and Robert live a gray, dreary life under the rule of cruel and calculating Charles Malstain. That is, until one night, when their librarian father enlists their help to steal a forbidden book.
Before their father is captured, Rachel and Robert are given one mission: find the missing final page.
But to uncover the secrets of The Book of Stolen Dreams, the siblings must face darkness and combat many evils to be rewarded with the astonishing, magical truth about the book. Nevertheless, they resolve to do everything in their power to stop it from falling into Charles Malstain’s hands. For if it does, he could rule their world forever.
Rachel and Robert live a gray, dreary life under the rule of cruel and calculating Charles Malstain. That is, until one night, when their librarian father enlists their help to steal a forbidden book.
Before their father is captured, Rachel and Robert are given one mission: find the missing final page.
But to uncover the secrets of The Book of Stolen Dreams, the siblings must face darkness and combat many evils to be rewarded with the astonishing, magical truth about the book. Nevertheless, they resolve to do everything in their power to stop it from falling into Charles Malstain’s hands. For if it does, he could rule their world forever.
David Farr is a playwright, screenwriter, stage director, and film and TV director whose plays have been performed all over the world. He’s the author of The Stolen Dreams Adventures series.
"With nods to both His Dark Materials and Lemony Snicket, the narrative spins a tale of good and evil, all the while interposing snippets of humor to keep things just a bit sardonic. As the siblings navigate the mystery of the book they have been given and learn its secret, they encounter new worlds and both brave and cowardly people. While an effervescent adventure, the story never loses sight of its timely theme: the essential need for a moral compass...[s]parkling and timely."
— Kirkus Reviews
"Farr’s beautifully crafted, thought-provoking story isn’t an easy-breezy read, but Farr is intimately acquainted with its stakes: The Book of Stolen Dreams was inspired by his own German Jewish family’s escape from Nazi Germany between 1935 and 1938. The novel grapples with tough, weighty questions: Is happiness possible under government oppression? When is a risk worthwhile? What do we owe our fellow citizens?
Farr’s characters experience fear and grief right alongside delight and wonder. As his omniscient narrator observes with the mix of hard-won acceptance, hope and love for humanity that echoes throughout The Book of Stolen Dreams, 'Such is life, my friend. There is no joy without accompanying sorrow. There is no despair so dark that a sliver of light cannot abate it.'"
— BookPage
"Farr’s action-packed adventure will keep you on your toes as readers get both Rachel’s and Robert’s points of view with whimsical narration...a hopeful tale of bravery and resilience."
— Booklist
"Alternating between the siblings’ perspectives, third-person narration breaks the fourth wall, leavening fittingly dark matter with humor and whimsical details that will appeal to readers of Kelly Barnhill and Lemony Snicket."
— Publishers Weekly
— Kirkus Reviews
"Farr’s beautifully crafted, thought-provoking story isn’t an easy-breezy read, but Farr is intimately acquainted with its stakes: The Book of Stolen Dreams was inspired by his own German Jewish family’s escape from Nazi Germany between 1935 and 1938. The novel grapples with tough, weighty questions: Is happiness possible under government oppression? When is a risk worthwhile? What do we owe our fellow citizens?
Farr’s characters experience fear and grief right alongside delight and wonder. As his omniscient narrator observes with the mix of hard-won acceptance, hope and love for humanity that echoes throughout The Book of Stolen Dreams, 'Such is life, my friend. There is no joy without accompanying sorrow. There is no despair so dark that a sliver of light cannot abate it.'"
— BookPage
"Farr’s action-packed adventure will keep you on your toes as readers get both Rachel’s and Robert’s points of view with whimsical narration...a hopeful tale of bravery and resilience."
— Booklist
"Alternating between the siblings’ perspectives, third-person narration breaks the fourth wall, leavening fittingly dark matter with humor and whimsical details that will appeal to readers of Kelly Barnhill and Lemony Snicket."
— Publishers Weekly