When Cassie, a fourth grade girl, thinks she’s won a grand prize from a mail flyer, she finds herself excited to share this fabulous 
feeling with her family, best friend, and favorite teacher. But as she is confronted with new big feelings (e.g. a classmate coming between Cassie and her best friend, everyone telling her she’s too sensitive, she didn’t really win any prizes), Cassie can no longer rely on her usual methods to find her way back to the wonders of life. Eventually, she is able to put some of the advice she is given into practice and starts communicating her feelings to her friends and family and works to find balance between her feelings and theirs.
This book does an excellent job of describing big feelings at a young age when you don’t understand where those feelings are coming from or how to talk about them. The fact that it has gorgeous illustrations adds to the appeal since words to describe feelings can be hard. Kids will be able to relate to the (slightly) fantastical depictions of everyday occurrences of wonder. This is a must in every library where kids can experience it and find a way out of their own big feelings. There’s no nudity, adult language, or romantic relationships depicted or discussed. Use it in your classroom or programming to talk about depression, feeling overlooked, friendship, or communication.
Dream On
By Shannon Hale
Art by Marcela Cespedes
Macmillan Roaring Brook, 2025
ISBN: 9781250843067
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
Creator Representation: Colombian,
