DreamJumper: Book 1 - Nightmare Escape, written by Greg Grunberg, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: Ben is our protagonist and we meet him as he seems to wake up in a dream that starts to turn darker as the panels progress. Ben finds his friend Jake after being chased by hypodermic needles. Jake is tied to a tree with bacon, wearing a diaper. Ben starts to follow a white bunny that does not seem very threatening and finds more of his friends. His friends Malcolm and Chloe are wrapped up in tree roots, unable to run away. Ben can still run and his friends urge him to go. With a gasp, Ben wakes up. He sketches out his dream in a journal and then tells his mom. His mom is concerned because Ben’s father had dreams that seemed crazy and then he disappeared. He runs into Jake at the bus stop and Jake tries to convince Ben that he is like a superhero for nightmares, and should consider charging for his services. Ben doesn’t even want to hear it. Ben has a bit of a crush on his classmate, Kaylee. They are supposed to meet up and then Kaylee doesn’t show. Ben starts to get worried after she doesn’t show up to school for a week. In the meantime, Ben’s mom set up an appointment with Dr. Alexson at a sleep clinic. As Ben tours the facility, he realizes that there is a room where people are kept that don’t wake up from sleep. In that room are all of Ben’s missing friends that he has been seeing in his dreams. Ben decides to track down the white bunny from his earlier dream because he thinks the bunny might have some answers. As the story progresses, the dream becomes more and more nightmare-like. Ben realizes he has powers to bring his friends back into the wake world. Secrets are revealed, but it is not the end.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This graphic novel is a good middle-grade choice. It is about nightmares, but it is not that scary. The dream world is definitely a bit darker in terms of color choice. The wake world is more bright with lighter colors. There is a lot of action and tension that conveys the urgency of saving people. It might be scary for some readers, but it is not gory or that extreme. There is definitely a mystery to solve because the reader will want to know what is going on with the nightmares. This is a fast-paced adventure that will be a perfect choice for readers who do not want to be “bored.” It’s a different twist on the concept of nightmares and what causes them. The images, colors, emotions and action scenes complement the text. The panels are easy to follow and I think this book is an easy entry into the world of graphic novels. It’s also a good choice for more experienced graphic novel readers. It would complement any school or classroom library collection.