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The Land of Good Dreams

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Samantha’s life went up in flames destroying everything she cared about. Tormented by her nightmares, Samantha discovers a magical world inside her dreams full of adventure, joy, and friendship.

The Land of Good Dreams is a coming of age story set during the 1990s in the countryside of Maryland. Living in a new foster home with the Beckmans, Samantha attempts to adapt to life with her new family who are grieving their own loss. As her awake world and dream worlds intertwine, she wonders who the boy in her dreams is.

Between her worlds, Samantha struggles to find hope again. Will she be able to work through her grief to overcome the tragedy and discover how to live again?

Get it now to experience the magical world of The Land of Good Dreams, 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 #𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

“The Land of Good Dreams” received the Christian Book Award (CBA) 2023 Double Gold Medal in the category of ‘Teen’ and ‘Adult Fiction’.

316 pages, ebook

Published September 4, 2018

8 people are currently reading
17 people want to read

About the author

T.S. Thompson

12 books13 followers
Award-winning author T. S. Thompson is the mother of two sons currently living in Pennsylvania. She has a deep desire to move readers with her books and share the light of God through them. Thompson has been blessed with the gift of storytelling and believes the world is in need of good family-friendly books everyone can enjoy.

You can find out more about T. S. Thompson at:

TS-Thompson.com

She is also a co-host on the podcast “Love and Encouragement to Live By” available on all podcast sites, including apple. You can find out more at:

LoveAndEncouragement.com

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Connie Lacy.
Author 14 books71 followers
October 29, 2019
There’s a lot of emotional pain in this Christian Teen/Young Adult novel. 13-year-old Samantha is grief-stricken and suffering after witnessing her parents die in a fire. The foster parents who take her in have lost a baby. We watch as the three of them try to form a family and to put a halt to Samantha’s horrible nightmares. In addition to the love and patience she experiences in the real world, Samantha is also welcomed into the Land of Good Dreams where her protector, a large black wolf named Mr. Midnight, guards her as she meets and gets to know several new friends.

This strikes me as a story that could benefit middle school children who face similar tragedies in their own lives, (or know someone who has,) although the Land of Good Dreams seems rather fantastical. I gather from the ending that this will be the first in a series of books about each of the friends Samantha meets in the magical dream world who are also coping with terrible personal loss. The ending of Samantha’s story brought tears to my eyes.
Profile Image for Mary Schmidt.
Author 19 books83 followers
March 21, 2019
Nice Christian read

I loved the fact that this book is a Christian story for teenagers. Kids need positive influence in their lives and this story helps with that with a plus of some fantasy thrown into the mix. I loved this book! For all that I just wrote, this novel earned five stars. Of note: readers will find a lot of grammar issues but try to look past them .
Profile Image for Wanda Adams.
Author 7 books63 followers
February 24, 2019
This well-written book takes the reader on a journey with Samantha, the main character, who's suffered the unspeakable loss of both of her parents in a terrible tragedy. She now lives with foster parents who have experienced a devastating tragedy of their own, and yet, they have opened their home to Samantha, whose many emotional needs must come before their own.

Samantha has terrible nightmares, during which she relives the night she lost her parents. One night, however she is invited to the Land of Good Dreams, a fantastic place on many levels, where she meets four other friends with whom she shares many adventures. Each has a "protector" animal; hers is a wolf called Mr. Midnight.

At first glance, this might seem like a trivial way for an author to treat a child with such a devastating loss. However, T.S. Thompson, with her writing skill, describes Samantha's experiences with great skill and detail, so much so that I as the reader was drawn into the fantasy land and the other characters quite easily. Each child Samantha meets in the Land of Good Dreams has a similar tale to tell of a traumatic experience, and the bonding that takes place as they sleep and dream peacefully is part of their healing process.

I enjoyed the way the author wove in several other touches of foreshadowing, as well as allowing people in this book--whether teens or adults--to express and accept their individual instances of grief. I also liked her use of animals as therapy vehicles. While this is allegedly for young adults, I think this book could also be for a general audience, especially for professionals working with young adults and teens in crisis, and/or those who care for them in the home.

Well done.
Profile Image for Rae Lake.
Author 117 books669 followers
June 25, 2019
This was such a peaceful and sweet read. I found myself so completely engrossed into what was happening with Sam. Also I felt so bad for her.

Sam is living most childrens worse nightmare, she has lost both of her parents and is now in a new school with a new foster family. From the very beginning of the story you can tell that she is having a hard time adapting. She wants to be good but she feels like she is all alone even the first few times that she goes to therapy she is closed off.
Things seem to change for the better when she discovers a stray pup that has found its way to her foster families home. She begins to have dreams of a place called the land of good dreams where she meets other children and everything is fun and peaceful. She has a guardian named Mr. Midnight who makes sure she doesn't slip through to bad dreams.

I feel like Sam even though she was put through so many bad things was a source of good for so many around her, from the little pup that might not have had anyone to take care of him, to Emma and Robert who were dealing in a strange way with thier own family tragedy, and even Claire the new kid at school that was being bullied. I thought this was a great read and really showcased what it means to not give up.
Profile Image for Angela Lockwood.
Author 5 books9 followers
February 16, 2020
Samantha is the shy teenager trying to find her place in a foster family after the tragic death of her parents. She is a character you immediately empathise with as anyone could understand why the thirteen year old is traumatised. She suffers from nightmares at night and feels awkward during the day as she feels the other kids just see her as ‘the girl that lost her parents.’
Richard and Emma the foster parents are equally easy to empathise with. How do you deal with a girl that is so fragile and broken? But this is not a depressing book; it is about people rebuilding their lives, forming a new loving family and finding joy again.
I liked this book a lot and found the idea of there being a good place where you go in your dreams novel and fun. It’s a place where I think all children would like to be when they sleep; a place full of wonder, beauty and adventure.
Written with warmth, and a deep understanding of human emotions. A wholesome young adult read.
Profile Image for Amy Proebstel.
Author 55 books125 followers
June 7, 2019
The Perfect Story of Hope and Blessings

What a neat story! I loved how the story follows Samantha’s daytime journey as well as her nighttime adventures in dreamland. The correlation between what she learns while she’s in the land of good dreams and how she handles new situations in the real world are the perfect example of letting your subconscious mind help you through the tough times in life. It’ll be interesting to see how the friendships she formed in the land of good dreams will translate into the real world.

This was so heartwarming to see how all of these broken people can help one another. Even though they all experienced losses, they learned to share their lives and love with each other. The ending was especially touching and it made me cry tears of happiness. This is the perfect story of hope and blessings.
Profile Image for A.A. Lee.
Author 6 books13 followers
October 20, 2019
Beautiful novel and a refreshing read

The land of good dreams made me wish to be a child again. The vivid descriptions made me feel like I was there.

The MC, Samantha was an orphan who lost her parents due to a fire. She had horrible nightmares because of it and the Land of Good Dreams, as the name itself says, helped her dream about good things. The only difference was that she had some sort of control of her dreams.

I think the kids perspectives were portrayed well in this novel, but the foster parents appeared to be too perfect. The only thing I didn’t like about this novel is the constant switching of povs in the same scenes. It made me confused as to who was talking.
Profile Image for Angel Sefer.
Author 20 books492 followers
May 4, 2020
An uplifting and inspiring story
My son and I enjoyed this book immensely.
Tragedy-stricken, thirteen-year-old Samantha suffers from nightmares, reliving the loss of her parents in a fire. Emma and Richard, who have lost a baby, become Samantha's foster parents. They are trying to help Samantha heal from the emotional wounds and provide a safe and loving environment for her.
Samantha is shy and withdrawn until she adopts a little puppy. In her dream, that same night, she meets a wolf, Mr. Midnight. Her new protector takes her to a magical land of beauty and adventure, where she has fun and makes new friends.
This uplifting and inspiring story follows the healing process of Samantha and the way her beautiful dreams change her everyday life for the better.
Profile Image for Michael Wilton.
Author 29 books11 followers
June 2, 2020
Verify Purchase Format: Kindle Version

A thoughtful compassionate story

The Land of Good Dreams is a heart-warming story about a vulnerable young teenager called Samantha who is left alone after the death of her parents in a tragic house fire and is cared for by foster parents who have lost their baby.
Suffering terrible nightmares, Samantha is rescued in her dreams by a black wolf named Mr Midnight who introduces her to a new circle of friends who help to heal her troubled mind with a host of games and fantastic adventures.
This is a thoughtful compassionate story revealing the individual characters and motives of everyone involved, leading to an uplifting ending.


Author 34 books6 followers
February 9, 2019
Uplifting and Hopeful

This is a great story for younger readers who have experienced a traumatic event. It’s filled with hope because the main character is rescued from her negative emotions and nightmares by the mysterious Mr. Midnight who takes her to the land of good dreams each time she sleeps. This fantasy underpays the realistic story of how Samantha connects with her new foster family and builds new relationships.

I wondered about some parts of the plot that did not get solved, until I reached the end of the book where the author indicated book 2 is coming. It’s not quite a stand alone story, but it ends at a satisfying and intriguing place.
Profile Image for Gordon Bickerstaff.
Author 25 books105 followers
November 11, 2019
Uplifting and wholesome.

This is a YA fantasy coming-of-age story following the life of a vulnerable young teenager suddenly left alone after the death of her parents and being cared for by foster parents who have their own tragedy to deal with. Struggling with her grief during the daytime, Samantha is drawn to a magic world at night where she is helped to heal because she is not the only one in a bad place. The story is well written with good insights into foster parenting. The characters are believable and fit well into their situations. The story is certainly uplifting and wholesome with a good heart.
Profile Image for Vickie Fisher.
Author 12 books29 followers
September 15, 2018
Samantha dreams are plague with nightmares, until a black wolf takes her to The Land of Good Dreams. Her darkness disappears and she find herself in a world full of fun, beauty, magic and friendship. It is a dream world I would love to visit. T.S. Thompson has written an enjoyable story filled with likeable characters with real emotions. I enjoyed reading The Land of Good Dreams.
Profile Image for Jeannie Sharpe.
178 reviews
March 15, 2019
Overcoming Struggles

This book is about Samantha overcoming struggle after struggle to find peace. I liked the puppy named Midnight. I think he was the best comfort for Samantha throughout the story. Being a dog lover I liked this added touch the author gave to the story. A good read if you like these kinds of books. I love happy endings.
Profile Image for Rob Garnet.
Author 1 book4 followers
December 8, 2019
A well written book about a young girl and her adoptive parents. The scenes are described beautifully and the story pulls you in, making you identify with the characters. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Cherime MacFarlane.
Author 101 books614 followers
December 17, 2020
Loss and grief, a young girl and a couple must learn to deal with both. This is a sweet book with characters to love. Still, it's not saccharine. A great read.
Profile Image for Hope N.
33 reviews4 followers
May 2, 2019
The Land of Good Dreams is a young middle grade fantasy read about a young girl, Samantha, whose parents were killed in a house fire. She lives now with her foster parents who mourn the loss of their baby girl. She struggles with nightmares until she gets a dog named Midnight who leads her to the Land of Good Dreams.
There are two major plots happening in this book. One is with Samantha and her journey into the Land of Dreams. This is a really good plot line for young readers. It had a lot of potential for this fantasy world, but it never really expanded to what it could be. It also has a second plot line that goes into depth of the foster parents recovery of losing their baby. This theme is too much for young readers and I felt it would have been better used in a completely separate book. I believe that a book should have one central plot. This book does not. It also introduces many other plot points that are never expanded on. One chapter in the middle of the book ends with a very ominous foreshadowing statement that is never brought up again or expanded on. The author also included a scene with the child’s therapist that makes it seem as if there is a major plot point that should be happening, but it is never mentioned again besides the one chapter. The author tries to create this fantasy world in the child’s dreams, but she just doesn’t create a believable world. It is too cliche and never expanded on. The book also ends with a chapter from the point of view of a character we’ve never had the point of view from before.
The writing style seems a bit choppy. It consistently tells more than it shows any details. This makes it really hard to become engaged in the story.The young girl, Samantha, is supposedly middle school aged, but does not act like it. Sometimes she is way too childish and immature for a middle school aged girl and is presented more as an elementary aged child and then other times she is presented with the maturity of an adult. It is inconsistent and not true to the age level that Samantha is. This led to a lot of cliche scenes and inconsistent characterization.
It should also be noted that this book poorly portrays therapy and portrays it very inaccurately.
I gave this book two stars because of the inconsistent themes. I think that this author would do very well in writing adult books and I would love to read more books of hers that are geared more towards adult audiences.
Profile Image for Sandra J Jackson.
Author 10 books138 followers
March 13, 2021
Thirteen-year-old Samantha lost her parents in a fire and now lives with Richard and Emma, her foster parents. The couple endured their own terrible loss of their infant daughter. Samantha needs them as much as they need her. But Samantha suffers from terrible nightmares. It isn’t until she finds a puppy, she names Midnight, that her bad dreams turn to good.

This is a sweet story with vivid details, particularly when Samantha goes to The Land of Good Dreams while she sleeps. Unfortunately, this is where the detail ends as the characters lack depth and their dialogue is stilted. Sometimes the children sound like young teens, but most of the time they don’t. I found the constant addressing of each other’s names in the dialogue took me out of the story. I was unable to relate to the characters and during a scene that should have brought tears to my eyes, it did not evoke any emotion. However, there were some moments within the story where I found myself smiling, so it doesn’t completely lack in bringing an emotional response.

I would have liked more detail in Samantha’s nightmares. As there is no antagonist in the story, a more in-depth look at her bad dreams would have helped bring tension. More showing, instead of telling would have made for a stronger storyline.

I will say that this is a good, clean coming-of-age story for pre-teens to young teens.
Profile Image for Robert Williscroft.
Author 48 books82 followers
May 25, 2019
The Land of Good Dreams is a delightful story written by someone who really knows how to care. If this were all that mattered, it would be a 5-star story. A published work, however, needs more. This book was published by Butterfly Light Press. There doesn’t seem to be much out there about this small press. It is clear, however, from examining the Kindle version of The Land of Good Dreams that they do not really understand how to format a book. That’s too bad as it immediately distracts from the story. The author has trouble keeping point-of-view straight. This is a beginner’s mistake that Thompson’s editor should have corrected – but he didn’t, and that’s too bad as well.

Nevertheless, these flaws aside, The Land of Good Dreams is an excellent coming-of-age story that any young teenage girl will thoroughly enjoy. Thirteen-year-old Samantha has lost her parents and is taken in by Emma and Richard who give her everything they can. To escape her terrifying dreams, Samantha invents a fantasy dreamland replete with friends, animal guides, and fantastic happenings. It is here that Samantha learns to cope with the world.

Worth reading for its wonder and compassion. Worth gifting to any young teen girl.
Profile Image for Gian Andrea.
Author 6 books34 followers
September 10, 2019
'The Land of Good Dreams' is that special place where Samantha goes to escape the reality of her life. There, she can find peace at night. Having been moved from place to place since her parents loss at young age, Sam isolates herself in the world she created to help her cope with the pain and tragedy in her life.
Now in a new foster home, Sam meets a family struggling with their own personal loss.
Though this is a young adult fictional work that mainly targets younger readers, the uplifting message of the book has a universal appeal, as we all go through tough times and have all experienced, one way or another, tragedy throughout our existence.
The story of Sam is a story of hope and overcoming adversities, of how to always look at bright side without giving up, which makes it broadly relatable.
Quite different from my usual reads, but nonetheless absolutely enjoyable and, I'd say, necessary – we all need more positivity in our day-to-day existence to remind us that life is what we decide to make of it.
Profile Image for Sarah Stuart.
Author 22 books104 followers
July 22, 2019
I liked Samantha (Sam), Richard, and Emma, most when they were living their ordinary lives. Sam had lost both parents in a house fire, and Emma and Richard had lost a baby. These were real issues, with Samantha in her second foster home overseen by the awful Miss Anderson, who turns out to be nice after all when she adopts a stray kitten. Richard and Emma had already allowed Samantha to adopt Midnight, a stray puppy, named for Mr Midnight, the wolf in The Land of Good Dreams

The Land of Good Dreams is where I confess to skipping over bits; a lot of it is description, though Sam does find friends there. She finds it hard to make real-life friends, but Claire is a great character. On the plus side, the last chapters are gripping, and they moved me to tears.
Profile Image for Joy Goddard.
Author 17 books81 followers
November 7, 2019
T.S. Thompson combines fantasy with realism in The Land of Good Dreams, a coming-of-age narrative. The reader is drawn to thirteen-year-old Samantha, who is in foster care after her parents have died under tragic circumstances. Nightmares plague Samantha until she's transported into The Land of Good Dreams where Mr. Midnight, a wolf, helps to bring her out of the darkness enveloping her. The author's warmth and compassion shine through her depiction of Samantha's foster parents who have suffered tragedy themselves. I enjoyed the vivid imagery in The Land of Dreams, creating light where there has been only darkness. Although I would have liked to have seen the point of view in the book more established, overall I found the book enchanting.
139 reviews1 follower
July 4, 2021
This quote from the book says it all “All this time I thought she was the one who needed us. I had no idea how much I needed her too.”
Emma and Richard have suffered the loss of a child. They accept a foster child named Samantha who has lost her biological parents. Samatha has bad dreams at night until…..she reaches the Land of Good dreams. Smantha keeps a stray puppy and names him midnight after someone she meets in her dreams. You’ll have to read the book to find out how dreams and reality sometimes cross one another to mirror real life.
Profile Image for Cynthia Austin.
Author 10 books299 followers
May 23, 2019
After suffering the loss of her parents, Samantha is plagued by nightmares in which she relives their deaths.

Soon, Samantha links up with a puppy who turns out to be her spirit guide and leads her into the Land of Good Dreams. There, she meets four other kids and while we don’t learn much about them, the stage is set to focus more on the life-or rather, healing, of one of those children.

This is a great, middle grade book filled with family tradition, magic and friendship.
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