Dream Big

Dream On #2

by Shannon Hale, Marcela Cespedes (Illustrator)

Keep dreaming with the next book in the Dream On series, a graphic novel by Shannon Hale, the beloved and bestselling author of the Real Friends graphic novel series, with over 2 million copies!

A movie is being filmed right in Cassie's neighborhood! Is this her chance to be a star? Dreams come true when she and her best friend Vali get hired as extras. Plus, she'll get paid, which will help her parents with their money troubles. But when Vali drops out of the movie, Cassie is stuck with the mean kid actors. Even worse, it turns out she's in a horror movie, and the monster in it scares her. Will she get called a "baby" or "scaredy-cat"? Can Cassie make it through the movie without her fears driving her away?

Join Cassie as she finds the courage to face her fears and dream big!

With bright and charming illustrations by Marcela Cespedes, Dream Big is a joyful story filled with imagination, fun 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.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Comics, Childrens

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2026

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

[Laura]

Dream Big is the second book in the Dream On series. Cassie wants to be special, and when she sees that a film is being made in her neighborhood, she asks to be an extra, and surprise, she is hired. Her parents agree, because they don’t have to pay for Summer camp. And Cassie gets to feel special.

It is a horror movie, and Cassie thinks she’ll be afraid of the monster, but she sees him out of costume, and he seems to be funny and nice. It gets her thinking about fears that people have, and she realizes that everyone has them.

This is a cute middle grade book about trying things for the joy of trying them. Cassie reads the script so she knows that is going on, and finds that the star of the movie, a boy around her age, is really nice. He finds her large family strange, and she finds that his parents never being around is odd.

The author said that what the world needs is more compassion. That we try our best, sometimes we just need to know that we are not alone, and we are loved. As she says in the author’s note, “You are never alone. We’re all in this together.”

This book is coming out the 1st of September 2026. Thanks to Netgalley and Roaring Brook Press for making this book available for an honest review.

[Brenda (jadore_2read)]

Dream Big is the sequel to Dream On. And it is a wonderful continuation of Cassie’s story. I feel like a Cassie myself sometimes. Cassie is a little girl with big emotions and just wants everyone to be okay. She loves helping but sometimes gets overwhelmed- at home and with friends. Cassie comes from a large family and knows her family is doing their best to get by despite their money troubles. So when a movie is being filmed in her neighborhood, she takes the opportunity with her best friend as an ✨extra✨. I love that Marcela Cespedes (illustrator) is back for round two. There is just something special about the graphics. Perfect read for young children with big emotions (older elementary+). I also respect the reality of the family dynamics.

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance.
✨✨✨
Out September 1, 2026
🎥 🎞️
“A movie is being filmed right in Cassie's neighborhood! Is this her chance to be a star? Dreams come true when she and her best friend Vali get hired as extras. Plus, she'll get paid, which will help her parents with their money troubles. But when Vali drops out of the movie, Cassie is stuck with the mean kid actors. Even worse, it turns out she's in a horror movie, and the monster in it scares her. Will she get called a "baby" or "scaredy-cat"? Can Cassie make it through the movie without her fears driving her away?”

[Sakura]

I did really enjoy the first book in this series… so I was looking forward to picking this one up!

The plot is quite interesting for a kid’s graphic novel: A movie is being filmed in Cassie’s neighborhood, and after gaining the courage to ask, she and her best friend Vali are cast as extras! But being in a movie doesn’t turn out to be as glamorous as they expected…

First off, the movie turns out to be a HORROR film- and Cassie is scared! Not only that, but Cassie and Vali are cast as the ‘Ugly Kids’?! This means they have to wear awful costumes, and act all mean in the movie. They have BARELY any parts- meaning they just have to sit around all day! It’s soooo boring- and Vali ends up quitting, leaving Cassie all alone to act in the movie?! What is a girl to do?

Overall, I think the plot of the book was very good. It focused on Cassie’s fears, but also how everyone has fears of their own using the monster in the story to illustrate that. Stesha is AWFUL, like I still dislike her so much. She’s so mean! And Vali… I don’t know, I don’t think she’s a very faithful friend tbh. I liked how Cassie became friends with Sky, the movie star, though, that was cute, but I didn’t like how they bragged to Stesha later.. oh well. I also LOVED the dude playing the monster character, it was a nice touch to show kids that the monsters in movies aren’t real.

I did relate a lot of Cassie feeling like scaredy-cat— I used to be afraid of most everything as a kid. She is very brave though, because she keeps going, even when she is scared.

I still don’t love the art style… but I am a little more used to it now.

Overall, I did enjoy the book.

(This book contains mild bullying, including name calling. Some potty humor is present (ew), and the theme of the book is ‘fear’. Cassie goes in a stranger’s car and is scared of getting kidnapped. It is not shown, but they mention wanting a gallon of fake blood for the movie. The movie has the monster eating people (in a cartoon fashion.) I would give this book an age rating of 9+!)

[Ms. Yingling]

E ARC Provided by Netgalley

Cassie is back, and navigating the summer after fourth grade. She enjoys hanging out with her friend Vali, but Stesha always complains about everything they do, especially when it involves Cassie having to stay in the family of eight's small two bedroom home to play while she watches two younger siblings. When the group is hanging out in a local park, they realize that a film is being made right in their neighborhood. They watch the filming, and Cassie dreams of being on the set, She decides to research the film making process, and has enough knowledge when asking to speak to someone that she actually talks to someone who can cast the few extras that are needed. Stesha thought asking was stupid, but Cassie and Vali are hired! They are to be "ugly kids" in a horror film, playing jacks with the main characters. Filming involves a lot of standing around, but also a craft services table with lots of junk food, which is hard for Cassie to come by now that her father is worried about money. Vali is bored and decides not to come back, but Cassie is enjoying herself, especially when she is chosen for a close up when she makes a particular good face when the group is "Slimed" in rehearsals. The actually filming doesn't go smoothly, which makes Cassie anxious, but pretty much everything does, and she manages to work through it. She eventually makes friends with the lead actor, Davey, who seems sad and lonely to her, even though she calls him an uncomplimentary name when the other kid actors complain about him. In the end, she enjoys her experience, makes a little money, and finds out that while Vali has been hanging out with Stesha, she really would rather hang out with Cassie, but was too afraid of being on set to continue. Cassie even uses her pay check to help her father, whose sales have been down, make rent for the month.
Strengths: What tween doesn't have vague dreams about being in a movie? (Or has it changed to being a social media star? Must ask actual tweens.) There is lots of good information about the different people on set, and the jobs they do, and the note from Hale that she was an extra in a number of productions was fascinating. It would be interesting to see more middle grade novels with larger families, although today these usually are the result of blended families. Cassie is a sweet person at heart, and since she is anxious about many things, is a little more understanding about what other people are going through. It's a great message for children with anxiety; develop ways to help yourself through tough moments, and try to make others feel better as well.
Weaknesses: Modern readers might be a little confused as to why Cassie is left alone in the house with toddler and infant siblings, since this is no longer a widely accepted practice. Made perfect sense to me; I was babysitting a neighbor's children who were these ages until 2:00 a.m. when she had a night shift at the hospital! Being a little clearer about the historical setting will help these readers be less confused.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed movie making books like Greenwald's Pete Milano's Guide to Being a Movie Star or Hart's Marcus Makes a Movie, or the many, many graphic novels that deal with tween anxiety like Lloyd's Squished, Libenson's Emmie and Friends series, or Scrivan's Nat Enough books. They seem a bit young for middle school, but I would definitely purchase these for an elementary school library.

[Melanie Dulaney]

Cassie is back in her sequel to Dream On and this time she is battling fears including having to share her best friend with another neighborhood girl, monsters that could be in her home, parental fights and worries about money and making mistakes that will cause embarrassment, result in harm to someone or get her into trouble. And all this happening while she experiences life on a movie set in the role of an “extra!”

Set almost exclusively in Cassie’s neighborhood, readers will relate to her over-protective mom and Cassie’s feeling that she is stuck taking care of her three younger siblings far too often. Many will connect to her feelings of insecurity in regard to her friendship with Vali and her difficulty sharing Vali with the less than nice Stesha as well her many fears. Early in the book, the girls learn about a movie being filmed in their neighborhood and Cassie and Vali decide to check with the casting director to see if any extras are needed. Amazingly, the script calls for several “ugly kids” to play alongside a few agent represented actors and the girls dive in. But when Vali gets tired of being categorized as ugly, dealing with the superior attitudes of the so-called professional actors as well as doing way more waiting around than being filmed, she quits, leaving Cassie to deal with the drawbacks of the experience. Eventually Cassie embraces it all and begins to take notice of each and every role on the set from gaffers to director to the ones who set up the lovely craft services table filled with all manner of name brand snacks available to all and in any quantity desired! Fears of making mistakes and of the scary plot and the monster on set begin to subside, especially after a long talk and some good advice from big brother Jerry. Finding her voice a bit more, Cassie even tells the crew that she would prefer to have the ugly part dropped when they call the kids to the set and even reaches out to the unhappy child star whom she and the two other child actors previously had been avoiding. Family and friend drama plus plenty of on set action will make this an appealing graphic novel for readers in grades 3-5 but, as with the first installment, those who enjoy Hale’s Real Friends series may find that this one reads a little young.

Recommended for collections looking for what the publisher calls a more “gentle” graphic novel read.

*Target age: grades 3-5
*Profanity: none
*Violence: Some fun, pretend violence as the monster pegs Cassie with goo (made of pudding and peanut butter) and it has to be done repeatedly until the director deems it done correctly!
*Sexual content: none
*Representation: Cassie, her family, Stesha and Trinh are fair-skinned but Vali is brown; great diversity in race, gender, body shapes, hair styles and clothing choices among the filming crew
*LBGTQ+ characters: none noted

[Carissa Manrique]

Dream Big by Shannon Hale was one of those books my daughter absolutely could not put down. From the very beginning, she became completely invested in the story and kept wanting to read “just one more chapter.” The book was entertaining, emotional, and full of drama in a way that really appealed to an elementary school reader.

One of the strongest parts of the book was the characters. They felt very relatable and realistic, especially for younger readers navigating friendships, school, confidence, and growing up. My daughter connected with the characters easily because their emotions and reactions felt authentic instead of overly exaggerated. She especially liked seeing how the characters handled challenges, misunderstandings, and personal growth throughout the story.

The plot was dramatic and engaging without feeling too heavy for younger readers. There were plenty of moments that created suspense, excitement, and emotional tension, which kept her interested the entire time. The story balanced school life, friendships, and personal struggles in a way that felt both entertaining and believable. She loved all the drama and emotional moments because they made the story feel exciting and hard to stop reading.

Overall, Dream Big was a fun, emotional, and engaging read that would be a great choice for elementary and middle school readers who enjoy realistic fiction, friendship drama, and relatable characters. It was definitely one of my daughter’s favorite books this year.

[emma]

I received this book for free and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
In Dream Big, Cassie gets cast in a movie and has a lot of adventures on set and relating to the movie. I enjoyed reading about her adventures and seeing her make new friends and battle her worries. This book is a classic Shannon Hale where the main character has to deal with worries and insecurities about her life and in her mind. I enjoyed seeing the different ways Cassie dealt with her emotions and felt like all the tips could be used in reality. She stuck up for herself and was brave on the movie set, even when she didn't have to be and could have been afraid. I would love to hand this book to every kid I know to show them that everyone has fears and worries. I LOVED the monster visualization for fears. Even as a teenager, I was drawn into Cassie's adventures and felt for her when she got scared. Her big family also cracks me up (even though I'm sure Cassie doesn't feel that way). This book gives me the experience of having a big family honestly, with how close she is to most of her family and how often they interact. I loved seeing her make new friends and pop out of her shell. I was cheering her on the whole time and she felt like family by the end of the story. If you like movie sets, new friends, books about facing your fears, and a relatable protagonist, you will love this book!

[Mary Louise]

Dream Big is the second book in Shannon Hale's new graphic novel series "Dream On."

A movie is being filmed in Cassie's neighborhood! She and a friend decide to be brave and see if they could be in the movie as extras, and just their luck - a couple more children are needed. After the first day wasn't very exciting, Cassie's friend decided not to come back. Cassie tends to be an anxious and fearful character, but she also showed courage by continuing to go back to the movie set. Her experience was so much fun to read about, and I especially love how she befriended the child star of the movie, who had been isolated for much of filming. Through her adventures, Cassie learns that everyone gets scared of something at one point or another, but speaking those fears aloud can help make them seem smaller. Though this was a mostly light-hearted book, there are more serious points, such as Cassie learning how to cope with her anxieties and fears, as well as her family's financial struggles. I enjoyed the intertwining of storylines and look forward to the next book in this series!

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

[Kathryn]

Dream Big is the sequel Dream On fans deserve.
When we left Cassie in Dream On, she was learning to deal with her big emotions. In this sequel her emotions and sense of wonder take center stage once again when she ends up on the set of a horror movie.
Through Cassie's adventure we get to learn about what it's like to be an extra on a movie set, and the challenges that come with it. During her tenure as an actor, Cassie makes friends, learns about the different forms of fear, and indulges in the wonder that is Craft Services.
The focus on fear in this volume was very well done. Cassie learned about all different types of fear and how to try and face them. We also saw how different people react due to fear and how we can be more understanding of them.
As with all of Shannon Hale's middle grade graphic novels, the stories within are relatable for kids and adults alike, and they carry lessons for all of us about self-reflection and empathy. I can't recommend it enough.


Thank you to MacMillan Children's, Roaring Book Press, and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Rosie]

In this follow-up to Dream On, Cassie is still trying to figure out where she fits in the complicated friendship between her best friend Vali and Stesha. When a horror movie begins filming in her neighborhood, Cassie and Vali are cast as extras, and Cassie hopes the experience will finally bring them closer again. But when Vali drops out, Cassie is left to navigate a whole new group of kids on her own and unexpectedly forms a friendship with Sky, the movie’s young star.

I love how authentically this graphic novel captures the insecurities, shifting friendships, and big emotions that come with growing up. As Cassie faces her fears and worries about making mistakes, she begins to realize that everyone has things they’re struggling with and that our mistakes don’t define who we are. Funny, heartfelt, and incredibly relatable, this is such a reassuring read for kids navigating friendship changes and all the complicated feelings that come with them.

[DJ]

When Cassie unexpectedly gets the chance to work as an extra on a movie set, she decides to take the risk and face her fears. As she navigates the excitement and challenges, including friendship struggles and feelings of jealousy, Cassie begins to grow in confidence. Along the way, she also realizes that the adults and people around her have fears of their own that they are trying to overcome.

Dream Big is the sequel in the Dream On series. Since my student enjoyed the first book, I believe they will be excited about this new graphic novel as well. I recommend it for students in grades 3–6. With its positive SEL themes, it would be a wonderful addition to upper elementary or middle grade classrooms and libraries.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

[Abby Aguilera]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.

I usually love Shannon Hale's graphic novels, but something about the art in this one didn't really do it for me and that's one of the biggest things I look for in graphic novels. I don't know what it is about it, but the illustrations felt simple to me to the point of looking incomplete, if that makes sense. The story was sweet; I appreciated the character development although I didn't love the glazing over of dad's behavior in a scene or two. Overall, a quick fun read!

I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Aliceson]

I read this book because my students requested the first one for our library. This book talked about anxiety and how to face your fears. I liked that Cassie’s family was large- we don’t see that represented a lot in books. The author was also honest about all people having fears- even adults. I wasn’t a fan of the illustrators unusual ears and big mouths, but the illustrations did a nice job helping to tell the story and move it along. One of Cassie’s siblings is only shown in a couple of the drawings (maybe he’s more present in the first book.) I liked when the author talked about the monster inside us. We all have good and evil inside, it’s what we choose to do with it that matters.

[Katherine]

Cassie is back with another emotionally complex adventure. My favorite thing about this series so far is that Cassie continues to deal with realistic issues, working through them in authentically messy ways, then she comes out stronger and happier in the end. When prioritizing her own dreams of working on a film set are at odds with her friendship angst, Cassie learns about the importance of independence, creative careers, and, logistically, money. The art style continues to be a pleasure to read and I cannot wait for the next volume.

Thanks to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for the arc!

[Kandice Nelson]

I enjoyed this story. I think there are many different talking points with this book: friendship, family life, being brave. We are able to see Cassie grow throughtout the book. We are also able to see how different families live and the pros and cons of big and small families. It would be a great way to talk about differences and how to work through those differences. And not only about families but also friendships how to work through hard friendships. There were some problems that could have been solved with a conversation with parents or friends, another great talking point. Overall the story was great!
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

[Elizabeth]

This was a cute read! I didn't personally love the art style, but the story was solid and I think lots of kids would really enjoy it. I'm now curious to read the first book in the series, as I know this is a sequel. The emphasis on SEL is wonderful and really shines through on the pages. Will be gifting this paperback ARC that I won in a Goodreads Giveaway to my local Little Free Library, where everyone can take a turn reading it!

[Marisa]

Delightful sequel to Dream On. It’s summer in Cassie’s world, money is tight, her best friend has the mean firm firing for her attention away from Cassie, but the big news is a horror movie is being shot in town. Cassie is brave enough to ask for a role and through her fears and honesty she’s able to make and keep friends.

[Alexis]

I loved Dream On #1, but this one felt like it regressed in age and emotional maturity. Shannon Hale is usually a must-buy for my middle school library, but I don’t really see this one picking up much traction with students above 6th grade. It would likely be a great fit for an elementary library/classroom though!

Thanks for the ARC NetGalley!

[Docena Holm]

I bought this for my 10 year-old granddaughter who read the first book, Dream On. Since Shannon Hale is my favorite author, I decided to read it before giving it to my granddaughter. I’m not into graphic novels but this was really good. The themes, the real-life problems of fear, friend, family relationships were well done.

[Jonie]

My daughter had already read the first book in this series so she was super excited when I told her I’d won this one for her. She read it in 2 days and said she loved it and said it was even better than the first book.

[EmilyC]

My middle school library students loved this- especially for the main character’s personal growth and themes of bullying, self-reflection, and friendship. Another hit from Shannon Hale!

⭐️Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for the ARC!

[Michelle Schmidt]

I won this advanced reader’s edition from Goodreads. It was such a good graphic novel for children about fear. Enjoyed the story and appreciated the message of overcoming your fears and how everyone is afraid of something. Highly recommend.

[Ally Tezak]

Super Cute! A great way to explain anxiety to kids! Wish I had this growing up!

[Emily Ludwig]

I received an ARC of this.

[Allison]

Like a warm hug for young readers with anxiety.

[Kiri]

Why did both of these make me tear up? I guess that mean I could've really used these stories when I was little. Give these books to a sensitive kid you know.

[Patti Sabik]

Another terrific graphic novel in Hale's "Dream On) series about changing friendships, family drama, and finding yourself amidst the chaos of life. This book takes us to a movie set and shows how patience, perseverance, and a lot of hope can make dreams come true.