The Dream Bearer

June 9, 2003
As in Myers's Handbook for Boys: A Novel, an older man imparts his experience and wisdom to a bright, receptive youth—in this case, 12-year-old narrator David. The author returns readers to Harlem's 145th Street, where David lives, and the book spills over with the neighborhood's sights, sounds, triumphs and challenges. David's father, whom the boy calls Reuben, has been suffering from mental instability (he was hospitalized for three months and prescribed medication, which he often refuses to take), so when David and his best friend, Loren, meet Mr. Moses Littlejohn in a nearby park, the man assumes the role of male mentor. Mr. Moses tells the boys he's more than 300 years old and that he is a dream bearer ("There are special dreams, dreams that fill up the soul, dreams that can be unfolded like wings and lift you off the ground. Those are the dreams I must bear"). At times the plot strands begin to overwhelm the novel (Reuben's sudden bouts of violence; David's brother's involvement with drugs; his mother's battle with a landlord—who happens to have hired Reuben—over a building she had worked to secure as a homeless shelter). However, the evolving relationships between David and his mother, brother and Loren perceptively reflect the hero's growing insight. And David's budding friendship with Mr. Moses subtly plants a seed of compassion in David for his father, allowing David to step in and be there for both men at crucial junctures. Myers portrays a young man who, warts and all, emerges as a knowable and admirable hero. Ages 10-up.

September 1, 2003
Gr 5-8-Walter Dean Myers' novel (HarperCollins, 2003) follows a 12-year-old boy in Harlem as he copes with family problems. While playing basketball with a friend, David Curry encounters a seemingly ancient man, Moses Littlejohn, who claims to be a dream bearer-he carries human dreams and passes them on. David is not sure he believes him, but listens to the stories Moses tells anyway. While the dreams do not solve David's problems with his violent father and his brother's drug dealing, they do help him to make sense of what is going on. Myers' use of language and situations make the characters come alive. Francis James narrates with realistic sounding voices and intonations. Each character is given a distinct and authentic voice. While the characters are well developed and interesting, the many plot threads sometimes overwhelm listeners. Dream Bearer isn't as compelling as some of Myers' other novels, but his fans will still enjoy this title that deals with anger and forgiveness. This audiobook can augment library collections with numerous Walter Dean Myers fans.-Katherine Devine, Westminster Academy

July 1, 2003
Gr. 5-8. Growing up in Harlem, 12-year-old David manages to keep his wits about him and his heart in the right place as he copes with his father, who is depressed and sometimes violent, and his older brother, who is hanging out with a dangerous crowd. After befriending Mr. Moses, an old man who speaks of himself as a dream bearer, David begins to hear stories that reflect the African American experience over the centuries. In the end, he finds that he not only has made Mr. Moses' dreams part of himself but also has his own dreams to help him understand those around him. The portrayal of David's family, particularly his relationship with his troubled father, is sharply realized and sometimes moving, and the Kenyan immigrant family of David's friend, Sessi, introduces a fresh point of view. Narrated by David, this well-crafted novel has some original characters and insights.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)