Dream On

Dream On #1

by Shannon Hale, Marcela Cespesdes (Illustrator)

Mega-bestselling graphic novel author Shannon Hale (Real Friends, Best Friends, and Friends Forever—over 2 million copies sold!) is back with a new middle grade graphic novel about hope, friendship, and heartfelt wishes, perfect for fans of Invisible Emmie and Click.

Something is missing from Cassie's life.

Her parents don't have much money, she has to share her bedroom (and bed!) with her sisters, and her family never seem to have time for her. To make matters worse, her best friend Vali is always busy with a new friend.

When Cassie gets a letter from a magazine sweepstakes with the words “YOU’RE THE WINNER” stamped on the front, she thinks it’s the answer to all her problems.

She could buy new furniture to replace their shabby old sofa. Or maybe a car so her family doesn’t have to take two trips to go places. Or maybe she can make Vali her best friend forever by taking her on a fabulous vacation. The possibilities are endless, like an all-you-can-eat buffet!

But will prizes really solve Cassie’s problems?

And what will she lose if she doesn’t win anything at all?

With bright and charming illustrations by Marcela Cespedes and Lark Pien, Dream On is a joyful story filled with imagination, big dreams, and wonder. This book is perfect for readers who want to enjoy a gentle and accessible friendship story, as well as anyone looking for SEL themes about empathy, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

This story also features children experiencing high sensitivity, big emotions, and feelings of sadness, making it a helpful tool to spark conversations and connections with young readers.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Comics, Family

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2025

About the author

Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack with husband Dean Hale. They live near Salt Lake City, Utah with their four small children, and their pet, a small, plastic pig.

Reviews

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a deeply relatable book for many children, but also many adults. Cassie as a main character stole my heart with her deep feelings and her daydreaming. This was my first book from Shannon Hale, but I can clearly see why her graphic novels are so popular.

[Gretchen Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good, but also it stressed me out! Apparently I have some unresolved childhood friendship trauma.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another fantastic graphic novel by Shannon Hale! Cassie's struggles with friendship, feelings of being overlooked, her desire to do something nice for others, and her sensitivity will resonate with middle grade readers. The graphic format brought forth the character's thoughts and emotions, and the elements of "wonder" stood out clearly. I will definitely be recommending it to middle school readers, especially fans of Hale's previous work. I'm also looking forward to the sequel, "Dream Big," coming in August of 2026.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Roaring Brook Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Sera · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the ones who are called “too sensitive”

[Lisa Pineo]

I'm DNFing this at 20%. I'm just not feeling it and I have other things to read. I usually like Shannon Hale's stories but this was just too soft for me maybe. Like nothing much was really happening except the main character dreaming about winning a magazine sweepstakes because she has a big family and not much money. I think lots of kids would really love this, especially if they like low stakes, non-issue books, but I'm the opposite. I'm not rating this since it's definitely an it's-me-not-the-book situation.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the 1980s, a sensitive middle child in a large family frets about getting attention from mom and coping with elementary school friendship drama. But she's sure the sweepstakes offer that just came in the mail will change everything when she wins the big prizes.

It's a borderline thumbs up as the angst and pipe dreams drag on a bit too long, but the characters are realistic and relatable and the lessons learned are worthwhile.

p.s. Pet peeve: Every character in the book gets a first name except Mom.


(Best of 2025 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto one or more of these lists:

• Washington Post 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2025
• Publishers Weekly 2025 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
• NPR's Books We Love 2025: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels

This book made the NPR list.)

[Beth Mendelsohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Cassie Lu is one of 6 children and often feels overlooked in her large family. They never had a lot of money, making do with what they have. Cassie is one of those kids who is “super sensitive,” feeling and reacting to most things. One day Cassie finds a letter from a publishing company that said she has won a sweepstakes with some great prizes - she just has to order 3 magazines. Excited to help her family out, she sends in the request but keeps it secret. Cassie eventually tells her best friend Vali, who thinks it’s cool, and not-really-a friend Stesha, who tells her it’s not real. Cassie learns to take the good with the bad and open herself up to having more than just one friend.
Cassie is based on the author’s real childhood, struggling with friends and being “too sensitive.” Shannon Hale also believed she won the publishing sweepstakes. There are enough references and clues in the graphic novel for me to recognize that it takes place in the same time period of my childhood. (I am 6 years older than the author!) Shannon hale is very popular so the kids will love this book, even if they have to ask their parents why there is a telephone mounted on the wall!
#DreamOn #RoaringBrookPress #NetGalley

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I put this on the Newbery list for my students, as I wanted a graphic novel for them to read and Shannon Hale is always solid. I was surprised when they began rating it really low. I read it this month I needed to read an Utah author. Initially I marveled by how well Hale captured that feeling of being young, pining for attention and relishing the feel of coming glory in the guise of a sweepstakes windfall. Last week when I met with the Newbery kids, mostly 5th graders, I found that they found it Juvenile and boring. One boy in his own words, “It’s all about little girls wanting friends. Waa waa waa” I guess nostalgia does not translate all the well if you want to target a young audience. I’m am getting weary of all the graphic memoirs, and I’m noticing my students are as well. However I did love the wedding reception scene. No one can create what should be a celebration into a dour event like the Mormons. (Talk about nostalgia)

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, a thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Here is the thing: Shannon Hale has another hit on her hands. I know it will fly off the shelves of the library and I won't be able to keep it stoked. Because it is Shannon Hale. She has a reputation for fantastic graphic novels that center around growing up and friendship. It's relatable and has funny moments so of course it is what you would expect.

(Side note, I so resonated with the hoped for sweepstakes drawing. I remember thinking I had been a winner once. lolol I never did get to the purchasing magazines part though.)

but I will be a little nitpicky. While Dream On is good, I found myself comparing it to the Real Friends trilogy. Perhaps I liked that better because I love LeUyen Pham's illustrations more.....perhaps it's because nothing fully set Dream On apart from other friendship graphic novels....that does not mean it is bad. But is it my immediate go to? not necessarily

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Dream On. Some parts reminded me of when I was a little girl and would have such big feelings and cry easily. My older sister often teased me about it, too. Cassie has big feeling all the time too. Her older sister will tease her too. Cassie is the middle child of her large family of eight. Sometimes she feels left out and other times not so much.

Changes seemed to start when her teacher rearranged everyone's seats in the classroom. Cassie was no longer next to her best friend Vali. Her and Vali did everything together, that's what best friends do. But now Vali is sitting next to Stesha. Stesha and Vali are doing more things together and Cassie is feeling left out. Plus, Cassie doesn't like the way Stesha treats her (Cassie), so she doesn't always want to hang out with them.

I liked the deep feelings Cassie feels throughout the book. She wonders if "being too sensitive" is a bad thing or a good thing. She has ways to deal with her feelings but they don't always work or too hard to do during class time. Cassie wishes she could talk with her mom more but she is busy a lot with the three little kids.

Dream On is a great graphic novel for those readers who enjoy realistic fiction, friendship stories. I think this book would be a great classroom read aloud to discuss having various feelings and ways to deal with them. Cassie never acts out in anger or frustration but still could use some help. She sad (depressed) and lonely a lot of the time too.

I also think this book would be a good read aloud together with a parent. Parents (I think) sometimes forget that their children need attention even when they may not be seeking the attention or maybe a 'checking in' time on a regular basis. I remember what it's like to have so much going on and never enough time to do it all. Parents sometimes forget. This book, could be a great discussion starter for both parent and young readers.

It's important to validate other people's feelings even if you don't agree with 'how' they are feeling. Maybe Cassie is "too sensitive", maybe she is "weird" like her teacher. It's okay to feel all the feels and being weird is okay too! That's what I took from this book!

@ShannonHale #ShannonHale #DreamOn #SchoolLibrary #SchoolLibrarians #PublicLibraries #PublicLibrarians #ReadABook #ReadThisBook #Books #Read #MGReads #MGBooks #MGLit #KidLit #ElementaryBooks #ElemReads #NetGalley

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Roaring Brook Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I reached for this ARC because Shannon Hale’s Real Friends series is one of the most popular graphic novel series in my middle school library in Brooklyn. I was hoping for another graphic novel with a strong theme around changing friendships, and boy did I get it.

I’ve never identified as a “highly sensitive” kid, but I infrequently see representations of characters who are, and I have so many students who I feel would love seeing Cassie’s emotions depicted in Marcela Cespedes’ illustrations. When she’s feeling down, she has blue halos around her head, and when she’s mad, red ones. What I connected with most was Cassie’s deep longing for her mother’s attention as one of six children. Cespedes represents this with ghostly hands reaching out from her torso that read “notice me,” “talk to me,” “listen to me,” “care about me,” and “love me” when she is most in need of affection. These images were a punch in the gut I think young readers will especially empathize with.

I spent most of my time reading this novel wondering the exact age of the protagonist, since her siblings were given grades, but Cassie wasn’t until near the end of the novel. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say she’s a fourth grader. Given that I teach at a 6-8th grade school, I’m not 100% sure that this will end up being a popular title in my library, but I think a lot of the kids who read Real Friends will not need any convincing to pick up another Shannon Hale book. Really I would rate this as a slightly lower grade MG title, like 3rd-4th or 5th grade.

3.5/5 stars

Pub date: August 16, 2025

[Minji · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel made me cry. Cassie Lu's inner thoughts felt so similar to my own thoughts growing up. Shannon Hale is able to capture the essence of a "sensitive kid," and reading through how this little girl feels and works through her emotions was so bittersweet. I loved the depth she was able to bring to these characters and she really shows what it is like to grow up as an anxious child who is worried about friendships, what their siblings think, and growing up as a middle child who is craving familial and friendly attention. This is a book I would recommend to my students who may be struggling with their identity as a young child who may be worried about making and losing friends. I loved this book.

[McKenzy Hupke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I LOVED this one!! Is a great read for upper elementary school and the start of middle school grades, an age range that I work a lot with in theatre, so I definitely will pass this on to a few parents I've connected with who's young ones would really benefit from this and enjoy it! If I ever move on to work in schools, it's a book I will certainly try to spread around! I loved the graphic and how cute the story is so much, that'd I'd even own it just to have!

[emyrose8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. Shannon Hale knocks it out of the park again. It's a fantastic graphic novel about friendship struggles in middle school, finding your place in your family, and figuring out how to appreciate yourself when others tell you you are too sensitive. Sequel coming soon!

[Leonard Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always appreciated Shannon Hale for remembering what childhood is like. That said, there was little difference between this and her Friends memoirs. (It wasn’t at all necessary to tell us in the author’s note that Cassie the protagonist shares many of her own qualities.)

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cassie often feels invisible in her big, noisy family. Good thing she has her best friend Vali to make her feel special. But when her class seating gets moved around and Vali finds a new friend-one who is cruel to Cassie-now what can she do?

[Jessica Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc of this graphic novel. Dream On is a great companion to Shannon Hale's memoir graphic novel series. Though the characters here are fictional, the feelings are real and relatable for many juvenile readers. The family dynamics in this novel and how they affect our main character will be a mirror for so many and the storyline will help soothe the rough edges of navigating childhood friendships. Loved the story overall; the illustrations were great.

[Hanna *Middle School Librarian* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shannon Hale encapsulates childhood so well. It’s definitely a younger GN, but I still think my 5-8th graders will enjoy.

[Meghan Lorenc-Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5) This was such a good middle grade story. My son was so engaged and related to the main character’s hypersensitivity since he’s autistic. Shannon Hale is so good at remembering what it’s like to be a kid, I’m amazed.

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was AMAZING.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book really nailed it on navigating friendships in elementary school. It also made me wish I had paid more attention to my younger siblings and how they were navigating living in a big family

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how it captures the imagination and optimism of a child in the mid 80s. The diversity flows naturally and adds to the plot instead of feeling forced.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shannon Hale is great at writing about sensitive kids and Cassie is one to root for as she works through her friendship issues with her best friend and a new friend that is a bit of a mean girl.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great story about growing up, friends, and living with a book family. Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital copy of this book.

[Jeannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can already seeing this being a hit in my middle school library! It is so relatable!!! This story follows Cassie as she is learning how to handle friendships and life growing up in a large family. This is a story that many teenage girls can relate to!

I thought it was a fun enjoyable read that hit on issues that young readers could reflect on and learn from. I will definitely add this one to my library!

Thank you to MacMillan Children's, Roaring Book Press, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cassie’s eight member family is close-knit but at times she feels left out, overlooked and in need of more mom time, not to mention, her own bed! With her father out of work, things are even tighter financially. On top of the money worries, Cassie is afraid she is losing her best friend Vali to mean-girl Stesha, is struggling with the “too sensitive” label she has acquired and is feeling guilty about the magazine sales sweepstakes entry that assures her she has won but the family really can’t afford the $20 to pay for the magazines she is required to order.

So much going on in Hale’s new graphic novel series but children’s lives are packed with many similar situations and these are all highly relatable to readers so confusion is unlikely. The scenarios are realistic and ring as authentic, likely due to the semi-autobiographical nature of major elements of DREAM ON. The graphic panels are well-drawn, bright and add much to the dialogue that is always somewhat limited in this format. Readers are likely to relate to elements in Cassie’s life or that of supporting characters. However, I did get a slightly younger vibe from DREAM ON than in Hale’s highly successful “Real Friends” series. This one, with its sequel coming in 2026, seems to fit into the grade 3-5 age group while “Real Friends” skews a bit older.

Highly recommended for elementary libraries with no profanity, sexual content or violence. Students at Cassie’s school have diverse skin tones with Cassie and her family presenting as White; no LBGTQ+ characters noted in this series opener.

Thanks for the eARC, NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cassie is part of a large family. The house is too small and her parents can’t give attention to every child when they need it. Cassie is old enough to take care of the younger kids, but not old enough for the things that her teenage sister and brother get to do. She desperately wants to be paid attention to.

Then, one day, she gets a piece of mail that says she may be a winner. There are so many cool prizes she could win, so she sends in her entry and dreams of what she could do with all the prizes.

And, as is typical in middle grade books, there is tension in her friendship with her best friend. She is torn with wanting to be cool like the other kids, and being herself, with an imagination. It is a hard spot to be in. Real friends, of course, wouldn’t care, but that is not something you can tell a middle schooler.

Great story. You feel Cassie’s pain. Great, quick read. Lot of feelings.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 26th of August 2025.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story of friendship, feelings, and being ok being your true self! I loved this book and the depiction of the very real feelings kids have when they are navigating changing friendships. This book will be really relatable to many of my middle grade readers. Can’t wait to add this to my elementary library collection!

And thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Jac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie is the third in a line of six siblings with an exhausted mother and a struggling dad who's out of work. Everyone has their own stuff going on, and 4th grader Cassie seems to have fallen to the margins. Her once bright spark and love of WONDER has begun to dim as family life gets hard... and social life gets hard... and school life gets hard... and it all just seems like too, too much--and that she's the common problem. When she opens the mail to discover she's won a magazine sweepstakes (I think this is the '80s) she thinks all of her problems have been solved. She can give the prizes to her family, her friends, and even her teacher (bless her heart) and she just knows that this will make them pay attention to her and solve everyone's problems. This poor kid just wants to be seen and loved.

Oof, was this one tough to read as a mom of multiple young kids! Younger readers may not be able to sympathize so much with Cassie's mom, but in my opinion, she was perfectly crafted by Hale, the author, and Marcela Cespedes, the illustrator, to be relatable. She is *exhausted* dealing with a baby, a toddler, a preschooler, an elementary schooler, a middle schooler, and a high schooler. She just wants to sit and have life be QUIET. I was particularly impressed with how well Cespedes was able to capture the chaos of their household with her full panels of *stuff* everywhere, covering every surface of the house. There are so many details for readers to notice on the page, which will help young readers especially start to understand that graphic novels aren't just about the dialogue.

That being said, as someone who's felt like Cassie's mom from time to time, I was GUTTED seeing her through Cassie's eyes. The characters' enlarged facial expressions clearly show emotions for readers. The panels with Cassie's arms just reaching out, desperate for her mother to sit with her for just a moment felt like a fist tightening around my stomach. Cassie's descent into depression as the story carries on was so expertly crafted without being didactic. It's gradual yet sporadic. There are glimmers of joy, but the duration of each lessens and the span between each grows as the story goes on. Cassie does get her happy ending, but there's certainly a lot of serious stuff that goes on in this book that I think will be relatable to many elementary-aged children.

Despite the younger protagonist, I'll be putting this book in my middle school class library, because it had such an impact on me as a non-4th grader. I'd bet I have students who can connect with Heidi, Cassie's 7th grade sister, who's been thrust into a maternal role likely against her will, and maybe it'll be a benefit to them to see how their younger siblings may feel from time to time.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press for the ARC!

[Sakura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve loved Shannon Hale’s work since I was little- I grew up with ‘The Princess in Black’. Now more mature, I like to look back on the old books I’ve read, and I very recently re-read the ‘Real Friends’ series. This books feels a lot like ‘Real Friends’, and I can’t really decide if that’s a good or bad thing. Still, I did really enjoy reading through this book, and I think the book was truly well made and fun. It’s so different from what I expected! I thought the story would go a whole different route.

Let’s go into deeper detail, on what I liked about this book… and what didn’t like.

● What I did like:

• The plot! Right off the bat, I was surprised with the direction it went in. I thought the story was focusing on a young girl winning the lottery and like, spending her money or whatever, but the story is actually a peak into a young girl’s mind, and her story growing up. It’s very sweet and heartfelt. I loved the lottery side plot.

• The setting! It’s set in 1984. This was a fun change of pace.

• Cassie, the main character, is very sensitive! I am too, so I related. I also like how she uses big words sometimes, she reminds me a bit of Anne from ‘Anne of Green Gables’

• Mrs. Farmer! The fact that she’s based on one of Shannon’s real teachers is amazing! I think that her character is so dreamy and fun.

• This book felt mature, while also being plenty light enough for kids to comfortably enjoy. It’s a perfect blend.

• The buffet portion of the story!

• The fact that Cassie’s family is poor, and the way others sometimes treated them. It was sad but I liked how it was handled.

• The friendships!

• The way feelings were described and handled. Very well done!

● What I didn’t like:

• Sadly, the art. Although I can see how the artist worked very hard on it, I just wasn’t really a fan of the way it flowed. Still, I’m sure many would love it, and it’s in no way low quality, just not my personal taste!

• Some of the characters were a little too parallel to Shannon’s other characters from her autobiography. Stesha was a LOT like Jen, and other characters and situations felt like a rehash of ‘Real Friends’ It’s not a big deal, but it did bother me just a little.


I have very few nitpicks… Overall this was a wonderful book that any dreamy, sensitive kid, whether you’re still young or once have been, can enjoy. It was fun all around, and kept my attention. I would recommend this book!!

(This book contains a sensitive young girl’s feeling, which are sometimes a little dark, but never too heavy. Mild bullying is included, as well as a some secrets being kept, and a baby without a diaper from behind. There is an also a death of a grandmother, but it’s handled lightly. I would give this book an age rating of all ages!)