Review of ‘Dreamers’

Written by Ezekiel Kwaymullina. Illustrated by Sally Morgan.

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Age Range: early childhood and dreamers of all ages.

Themes: Aboriginal Australians; dreamtime; dreaming; children; childhood; imagination; play; wonder.

To add this book to your home, school or library collection, click on title or image links.

We are the dream and the dreamers

You had me at that beginning line Mr Kwaymullina. Darn this book is lovely. I’ve added it to my list of ‘books to buy newborn babies’ as ‘Dreamers’ is the story of what all parents wish for their children – to dream and wonder and to experience a childhood full of imagination, play and creativity.

Ezekiel Kwaymullina is from the Palyku People of the Pilbra Region in Western Australian and though this book is intrinsically indigenous it could just as easily be French, German or Icelandic as it is a universal story and is a book for all children – as the dedication so emphatically states (see below – and do admire those endpapers).

The sense of movement in the text is mirrored in the stunning illustrations by acclaimed author and artist Sally Morgan. The illustrations are full of lush colours and swirling movement and fabulously coloured children who look like they are very happy to be playing on the pages of this book.

I’ve now purchased three more of ‘Dreamers’ to have on hand as new baby gifts, because like ‘Puffling’ did to me when Trish gave it to me after PudStar was born, ‘Dreamers’ is going to make new parents weep. I mean new parents weep anyway…mostly with exhaustion. But it’s nice to have them weep tears of hope and joy over a book.

…We are children wild and hope bright.

There are fab teachers’ notes for ‘Dreamers’ here. 

Note: Yep for those who are wondering…Ezekiel Kwaymullina (above) is brother to Ambelin Kwaymullina, who I’ve spoken about here, here and here. They also happen to be the children of Sally Morgan…who I kind of, sort of think is a bit wonderful and have spoken about here.