Book Review - Silent Dreams by Dandi Daley Mackall

Dandi Daley Mackall is a children and young adult author who often writes about people who are or have been marginalized by society.  Silent Dreams is the story of Camilla, a young homeless girl, her mentally ill aunt, and how they relate to the community and find joy in the silent cinema of the early 1900s. The story introduces the reader to a variety of people who are homeless and was inspired by Dandi Daley Mackall's own introduction to a homeless woman.  The story of this encounter is included at the end of the book along with information about the history of silent film and a glossary for the words that children might not be familiar with.

Silent Dreams is also a poem.  The rhymes are standard couplets (the 1st and 2nd lines rhyme with each other).  It has an easy meter, almost a sing-song quality, that often makes poetry easier for children to read and understand.  Each page of the book is four lines which have one or two accompanying illustrations.   I think the illustrations are quite lovely (though in fairness I know the artist).   The vibrant colors are eye catching and the purple tones help add to the mood of the poem.

The content in Silent Dreams is appropriate for any age range.  It is set during a specific time in history and has to do with homelessness and mental illness so children might have questions and this is definitely a book I would read with kids and be prepared to discuss these themes with them.  The homelessness and mental illness are not the main focus of the story and are portrayed in a very open and accepting way.  This is a good book to use to introduce children to these issues, while showing them they don't need to be afraid of people who are homeless or have mental illness.  For children who have a personal connection to homelessness or mental illness it is especially important for them to encounter stories and characters with these issues to help children understand that they, or people they know, are not alone.  

The reading level for this story is about 1st grade.  The poetry adds a formula to the story and most words will be recognizable.  Words that aren't likely to be known to younger children are included in the glossary at the back of the book.  This is written at an Upper Emergent Reading level, but should be enjoyable to children who are not at that level.  As said before, this is definitely a book that I would read with children, even if they are Fluent Readers or above. 

Silent Dreams is the only book by Dandi Daley Mackall that I have read, but I'm definitely intending to read more.  Her books seem to have a variety of narrators and some deal with important times in history and/or help spread the stories of marginalized people.  I think it's important to support authors, especially children and young adult ones, who do this.  You can get more information about Dandi Daley Mackall and her books at her website Dandi Books