Happy Dreamer, written by Peter H. Reynolds, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Coby C.
Summary: This short book tells the story of a happy dreamer. The outside world tells him to “be quiet” “sit still” and “focus,” but his dreams “have a mind of their own.” We follow the dreamer as they describe the different ways the dreamer feels, their different modes of expression such as a loud dreamer or a colorful dreamer, and their feelings on cleaning up.

Straight Talk for Librarians: Happy Dreamer is a nicely illustrated picture book with a great message, intended for younger readers. This book, while not really having much of a plot or story, does push a good message of acceptance of different types of people and celebrating individuality. For younger readers, the breadth of adjectives used and the call to action “What kind of dreamer are you?” could be helpful for giving them new vocabulary and prompting them to use these words to describe themselves. The book is great for younger children as it teaches self-confidence and good values, and the book is well-written, providing good vocabulary. The illustrations by the author are a highlight. The art is one of the best parts of the book, expressive and fun and giving life to the pages, showcasing Peter H. Reynolds’s wonderful personal style that he has exhibited in previous works. Each page looks different and has art supporting which kind of dreamer they are at that point in time. At the end of the book there is a fold out four-page spread showing the many ways to be a happy dreamer, with “music happy,” “peaceful happy,” “sunny dreamer,” “secret dreamer,” “family happy,” “ocean happy,” “goal dreamer,” “space dreamer,” and many more. No matter what kind of happy dreamer you are, the message is to just be yourself. This message comes from a personal palace: Peter H. Reynolds says that he is a dreamer, and always has been. The illustrations seem to be digital and the linework is loose with soft pastels that add to the books gentle tone. The message is very overt, but it is a quality positive message, and definitely one worth telling. Teaching readers to be themselves and be confident, showing them to overcome obstacles and keep moving forward. Readers will love the pages at the end to expand (like a poster) to showcase all the different kinds of dreamers. The cover has a bit of sparkle that will catch a reader's eye. It would be good for an independent reading choice. It would also go well with a book display geared toward optimism. A good pick for a counselor to be aware of.