The Dream Bearer [Library Binding]

The Dream Bearer was my first exposure to Walter Dean Meyers, and I will continue to read his work. In this novel, the main character, David, is the heart of his family. His older brother becomes involved with drugs, his father battles a mental illness, and his mother is scared for everyone. David meets an old, intriguing man and through their short conversations, David attempts to understand the actions of the people in his life. He realizes if he could imagine what people dream about, he could better attempt to understand their life. It is with this knowledge that he discovers how to relate to his father in a way no one in the world seems to understand.

This book is great for young readers and adults alike. The story grabs the your attention from the beginning and keeps you turning pages. Walter Dean Myers weaves his characters intricately together and portrays the message that what we dream may be just as real as the hours we are awake.

There are some problems for a kid growing up in New York, especially for David! The Dream Bearer has received many reviews including ALA booklist and School Library Journal. The author, Walter Dean Myers has written many other books such as, Bad Boy: a Memoir, Handbook for Boys, and Patrol. He also won the 1994 ALA Margaret A. Edwards award and the 1994 ALAN award. The Dream Bearer is a book about a kid growing up in New York. The Dream Bearer is a meaningful book by an award winning author.

David lives with his mom, dad, and brother in an apartment in New York. His brother, Ty is leaving and coming home late. When the police come, David suspects he's doing drugs. When David and his best friend Loren go to the park, they meet an old man named Mr. Moses who claims he's a dream bearer. David's father, Reuben, who most people think is crazy, is angry when he hears about Mr. Moses. Then, Mr. Moses gets sick so David and Loren save him, but soon after, someone else needs saving.

The Dream Bearer has characters that are so believable. I liked that David was accepted to a private school because he's smart and he beat two other people with Loren in 2 on 2 because he's good at sports. It proves that you can be good at more than one thing. I also liked that David didn't think his dad was crazy when others do, it proves he's believing. David's mom is also very caring and nice. The characters in this book are terrific.

I also liked the setting of this book because it was so real and imaginable. The author describes how the Hudson River was dirty and gross. He also described that the city had old, run down buildings. I could really picture that! I could also tell it was real because he uses street names to describe where they are. I also liked how he described the park. I could really picture the setting.

I think The Dream Bearer is a good book because of the characters and setting. The author uses detail on the characters and setting so I can picture it. I would recommend this book to someone who wants a book that's not that funny or suspenseful, but still keeps your attention. This book has a very interesting cover and description that just screams "READ ME!" It is a little slow in the beginning, but gets better. This realistic fiction book's message is that you shouldn't judge people because they can be someone you'd never expect if you look hard enough, even in their dreams!

This book was really good. The details were good. I liked how the story took place. It's cool about the problems that were in this book, it made it exciting. I love Walter Dean Myers books!