The Dreamer

The Dreamer (2010), written by Pam Muñoz Ryan and illustrated by Peter Sís, is an illustrated novel marketed for middle-grade audiences. Set in 20th-century Chile, The Dreamer recounts the story of Neftalí Reyes, based on the life and childhood of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Sensorial illustrations accompany elements of biography, magical realism, and poetry in this story about a boy’s transformation into a world-renowned artist. The story follows Neftalí on his journey to define himself and pursue his dreams, discovering language’s power to inspire and connect people along the way.

Pam Muñoz Ryan is the author of more than 30 books for young readers, including Esperanza Rising and Paint the Wind. She earned the National Education Association’s Human and Civil Rights Award and the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award for multicultural literature. Peter Sís is a MacArthur Fellow, a Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator Award winner, and a three-time Caldecott Honoree. His picture books include Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei and The Wall: Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain.

The Dreamer won the NAPPA Gold Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor in 2010. It was also the first winner of the Carla Cohen Free Speech Award.