The Dreamer

Based on the life of poet Pablo Neruda, this award-winning narrative is filled with poetic language and fanciful imaginings. Neftalí is a sickly, day-dreaming boy whose father is determined that he will be an important businessman some day. But Neftalí loves words, nature and the poetry of life and doesn’t want to live the life his father wants for him. The illustrations by Peter Sís complement the text and add an imaginative dimension. Pam Muñoz Ryan has successfully blended the facts of Neruda’s life with her own lyrical language to create an insightful and thought-provoking book for ages 9-13.

“Which is sharper? The hatchet that cuts down dreams?
Or the scythe that clears the path for another?”

Award-winning author Pam Muñoz Ryan has taken the simple facts of Pablo Neruda’s life and turned them into a compelling story that is artfully told. Born Neftalí Reyes in Temuco, Chile, the poet began life as a shy, sickly outsider, far more interested in the natural world around him and the beauty of words than he was in his studies at school. He is filled with questions and curiosity. The son of an overbearing and sometimes cruel father, Neftalí finds support in his step-mother, his siblings and his uncle. Ryan weaves fiction, fact and poetry into a story that is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking.

Yet in the end, Neftalí triumphs and becomes a poet that is beloved by the world. The book is liberally illustrated by Peter Sís, who incorporates Neftalí’s imaginative explorations with delicate drawings at the beginning of each chapter that foreshadow events in the chapter. This can serve as an introduction to the poet’s life or as a bridge to a discussion of how poetry can be found in the world around us. It will not interest every child, but for those who are dreamers, like Neftalí, it can be an affirming experience.

Jean Hatfield has experience as a children’s librarian, a school librarian, and a head librarian. She has served on the selection committee for major children’s book awards and is presently responsible for the selection of public library materials for youth – children and young adults – for the public library system in the largest city in Kansas, Wichita.