Abstract
Reviewed by: Dreamers by Yuyi Morales Deborah Stevenson Morales, Yuyi Dreamers; written and illus. by Yuyi Morales. Porter/Holiday House, 2018 [36p] ISBN 978-0-8234-4055-9 $18.99 Reviewed from galleys R* 5-9 yrs In this narrative addressed to her son, the author-illustrator describes the experience of coming to the U.S. with him when he was just a baby, and "there were so many things we didn't know" and "we made lots of mistakes." Then, in her wanderings around San Francisco with her baby in a stroller, she happened on the library ("a place we had never seen before. … Unbelievable. Surprising") and fell in love with it ("Books became our home"). Those books inspired her own creativity as she and her son learned to "make our voices heard." Understanding this as a creator's own story is key to its resonance; the gently hopeful text offers its best optimism when rooted in Morales' own experience. The immersive magical reality of the art is the real glory here; the mixed-media illustrations, including acrylic paint, drawing, and bits of collage, are full-bleed spreads that depict the library as a milieu every bit as startling and novel to the speaker as the U.S. itself. The visual demonstration of creativity begetting creativity, as both the female figure and her little boy begin to draw and make books, is also eminently satisfying. This has potential for use as an imaginative author/illustrator bio and also as an entrée to audience creativity, perhaps alongside Pietromarchi's craftily inspiring The Book Book (BCCB 2/08). A more straightforward account of Morales' experience concludes the work, and a list of books that inspired her (many identifiably depicted in the art) is included, as is a vibrant explanation of the story behind her artistic elements and choices. DS [End Page 82] Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.