Meryl Blomseth: The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis

As a fan of Pam Munoz Ryan and Pablo Neruda, when I heard that she wrote a fictionalized biography about Neruda's life, I had to read it. It was another bonus that I am also familiar with the children's illustrator Peter Sis. It was like the Holy Trinity came together to collaborate on a children's book. This book exceeded my expectations. The images and prose made reading magical again. I connected with the character on so many levels, which made reading effortless and fun.

The main character, Neftalí,  is shy. He is stuttering and unsure of himself. He feels most comfortable when he is surrounded by nature or the many interesting objects he collects, like shiny keys, feathers and beautiful stones. Neftalí is entranced by the rhythmic sounds of the forests, rivers and jungles. His head is full of stories. He was born to a tyrannical father, who wants him to be a strong, powerful businessman. But Neftalí and his older brother, Rodolfo, are creative souls more interested in books and music than math and business. Though his stepmother tries to protect him, Neftalí is subject to his father's mood swings, strict rules and cruelty. As he grows up, inspired by his uncle, a progressive journalist and activist on behalf of the native Mapuche, Neftalí finds his voice and strength in writing, first in political essays and finally in poetry. 

This book was a quick read. The illustrations were perfectly matched with the questions posed by Munoz. I would recommend this novel to readers in the middle grades. I could see this book being a read aloud to excite students about writing.