HOME SCHOOL BOOK REVIEW
Book: Into the Dream
Author: William Sleator
Cover Illustrator: Richard Williams
Publisher: Puffin Books, Reprinted 2000
ISBN-13: 978-0525325833 Hardcover
ISBN-10: 0525325832 Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-0141308142 Paperback
ISBN-10: 0141308141 Paperback
Language level: 1
(1=nothing objectionable; 2=common euphemisms and/or childish slang terms; 3=some cursing and/or profanity; 4=a lot of cursing and/or profanity; 5=obscenity and/or vulgarity)
Recommended reading level: Ages 8 – 12
Rating: **** 4 stars
(5 stars=EXCELLENT; 4 stars=GOOD; 3 stars=FAIR; 2 stars=POOR; 1 star=VERY POOR; no stars=NOT RECOMMENDED)
Category: Science fiction
Reviewed by Wayne S. Walker
Disclosure: Many publishers, literary agents, and/or authors provide free copies of their books in exchange for an honest review without requiring a positive opinion. Any books donated to Home School Book Review for review purposes are in turn donated. No other compensation has been received for the reviews posted on Home School Book Review.
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Sleator,William. Into the Dream (Published in 1979 by Dutton Juvenile, a division of E, P. Dutton Inc., 2 Park Ave., New York City, NY 10016; republished in 1985 by Scholastic Inc., 730 Broadway, New York City, NY 10003). Twelve year old Paul Rhodes, who lives with his divorced mother and is a student at Wiley School, has a recurring, frightening nightmare every night, where he’s standing at the edge of a vast empty field, trying to move toward a large, glowing sphere, a small boy is in awful danger, and Paul must save him. Paul’s convinced he’s losing his mind — until he learns that his classmate Francine Gill, who also lives with her divorced mother, has the same harrowing dream too. The two of them find that they have ESP and are determined to join forces, solve the mystery, and save the little boy — before their bad dream becomes terrifying reality.
How should Paul and Francine go about finding the little boy? If and when they find him, what can they do to keep him from falling into terrible trouble? And who are those two strange men in dark suits following them? Youngsters who like chilling, scary, even macabre thrillers will enjoy this book. There are some references to smoking cigarettes but nothing in it that is inappropriate. The only other book by Sleator that I have read is The Boxes, which I did not really care for. But Into the Dream is not too bad and seems to be written for a somewhat younger audience than much of Sleator’s work, but it is a good introduction to the genre for younger children, although there is enough suspense and action in the plot that it would still be interesting for older readers as well.
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