The Book of Stolen Dreams

I liked the book because it said in the book that a girl called Rachel and a boy called Robert had a dad that stole a book called The book of stolen dreams. Rachel and Robert and their mother had to run away because the police came and arrested their dad. Soon after that their mother died because of a terrible illness and people wanted to take the kids to an orphanage so the kids had to split up. Robert had to protect The book of stolen dreams while Rachel had to go to the orphanage and learn the book's secrets. My favourite person in the book was Rachel because she went to the land of the dead like the book.

I would recommend this book to fans of Philip Pulmann or readers of 'The Book Thief'. I was reminded of the latter many times because of the feeling of magical realism, combined with the setting of a dictatorship, which runs throughout the story. It's a book about the power of words, and the ways in which people can be brave. Really enjoyable.

I really liked this book!! I thought Rachel and Robert were very brave.

It’s twisty,
It’s exciting …
and there’s a smidge of poetry in there which I actually really liked!

I liked the book that much that it was very interesting and a bit sad

An exciting story that kept you gripped. Good for years 5 & 6.

A gripping adventure set in a dystopian world with a tyrant in charge and a fantasy element about the gateway for the dead and bringing people back to life. Characters are appealing and strong and good setting

It was good. I’f recommend it to my friend Darlene because she likes to day dream a lot.
My favourite character was Rachel because she was able to keep her temper in the orphanage.

I loved this book and it always kept me on the edge of my seat. There was lots of suspense so I always had this book in my hand.

Set in a country ruled by a dictator, a brother and sister have to keep safe a book and find out why it is important. In the process they encounter some interesting people and get into tricky and dangerous situations. It is gripping read and keeps you wanting to know what happens next. The siblings separate and that makes the story more complex to follow. A plot to assassinate the dictator raises questions of whether it is ever right to kill someone. Suitable for years 5-8, includes bereavement and being parted from a parent.

This is a brilliant story about bravery and standing up for your rights. We had several conversations about dictatorship, unfair treatment and human rights. Thoroughly recommend this book to upper KS2.

Great book.

Rachel and Robert stole the book of stolen dreams with there dad

A real surprise and a classic of the future.i was intrigued by the authors backstory, how he used his grandparents wartime experiences to build this wonderful fantasy.

Strongly recommended

Beautifully written and wonderful descriptions of the contrasting settings. An all round great adventure story with some magical twists. I loved the ancient family of secret keepers.
Will definitely recommend to my y5 class.

When things are tough, you want those around you to be people you can trust. In the world we encounter at the start of this wondrous story, that is not necessarily the case. Under the rule of Charles Malstain life is dreary, and anyone who does not do as he requests is made to disappear. This is a time of dark secrets, where family are suspicious of each other and where things are about to get worse.
We don’t know why this has happened, but Farr immediately sets up a tense and unsettling atmosphere. We are introduced to our protagonists, Robert and Rachel Klein, when they accompany their father to the lending library where he works. This journey is done at night, and nobody is told about it so we know it is dangerous. All we know is that it has something to do with The Book of Stolen Dreams that Felix Klein steals - rumours are that it is scheduled to be destroyed - and charges his children with protecting until they can hand it over to a man called Solomon.
The children escape, but have to watch their father beaten by Malstain’s forces. They are subject to intimidation in their home as those under Malstain search desperately for the Book that the children vow to protect, though they don’t really know why.
As we follow Rachel and Robert in their task, they are placed in extreme peril. They suffer in the way that only young children in stories can. The odds are against them. They are pitched into a battle they might not win…but their determination to do the right thing and their bravery makes for a gripping story.
Along the way we meet a host of characters - at both ends of the spectrum. Malstain is a shadowy villain, orchestrating terrible deeds for his own selfish reasons. Opposing him are a motley crew, and not all are guaranteed to do the right thing when asked.
From the outset this was a book that delighted. Due for release in September 2021 I can’t wait to see the buzz it generates, and I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read it early.

In a world like our, ruled over by a tyrant, reminiscent of Hitler or Stalin, this book follows to siblings as they try to find a way to bring their mother back from death, as well as trying to rescue their father from a prison camp. this is a heart wrenching story, but with hope at the end of the tunnel.