Dreamers by Yuyi Morales - ESSENTIAL

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales. PICTURE BOOK. Neal Porter Books (Holiday House), 2018. $19.00. 9780823440559

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

As a young mother, Yuyi and her infant son travel to America.  Immigrating to a new land, where they cannot speak the language, where customs are different, and where at first they feel very alone.  One day they visit a place resplendent in books.  A place where the world opened up to them and they felt they were home.  Here Yuyi learns to read, to write and to speak.  She becomes a dreamer.  

Yuyi's story is a touching look at the life of an immigrant and the struggle to find their place in a new home.  Her discovery and love of libraries and books and all the knowledge and possibilities they bring is beautifully illustrated in her drawings. At the end of the book, you can read a more comprehensive version of Yuyi's journey to America. She includes a list of books that inspired her and an explanation of how she illustrated her story.  This is a must have for any library! 

Gina, Media Specialist