Dreamers

When Yuyi Morales first arrived in America with her son, she could barely speak English. Unable to return home and adjusting to life in a strange country, she soon discovered the magic of libraries and the stories they contain. Her stunning picture book Dreamers recounts these experiences.

While books like Islandborn focus on what immigrants have left behind, Dreamers is centered on the experience of Morales in her new and often alien home. While she struggles adjusting, she quickly finds a place to belong in the library. Dreamers is a love letter to libraries and stories. This is particularly clear with how lovingly many book covers and titles are displayed throughout the pages of this text. It also shows the power stories have in transforming people, as she and her son learn to speak English and navigate their new world. She makes it clear that books and libraries are a lifeline for the very vulnerable in our society and for dreamers everywhere.