Synopsis:
Malky’s family has changed. His father has moved out and Malky, his Mum, and his little brother Seb have moved to a new area. The crocodile that used to haunt Malky’s dreams when he was little has returned. Then Malky steals the Dreaminator during a dare and everything gets strange.
At first it is fun. Malky and his little brother Seb are able to enter each other’s dreams. They experience dreams so vivid that it is actually like being part of an amazing adventure. Then Seb doesn’t wake up – and he’s taken to hospital as if he’s in a coma.
Time is tight to save Seb. Can Malky and his new friend Susan work out what is going on in time to help?
Review:
Ross Welford is a star of middle-grade stories and How We Got Lost In Dreamland is another hit. I was hooked from start to finish. Think lyrical meets pacy, edge-of-the-seat adventure. Malky’s dreams are reflections of his real life and of his emotional state and yet the action never lets up. Time is not on Malky’s side – the stakes are high as he gets himself deeper into trouble with a long-forgotten invention and its kooky creator.
Welford’s characters feel real. Malky’s in trouble at school before any of the story’s drama. He’s on a behaviour record and he’s got to prove that he is capable of remaining in the school community. He’s also a caring brother, and he’s’ torn up about his dad’s departure. It is wonderful to see boys – and especially the kind of boys who are too often stereotyped as trouble – portrayed with sensitivity and thought.
We’re also introduced to adult characters whose role in the story is not insignificant. Welford’s adult characters never drive the story but they remain as memorable as some of his child characters. In this tale we meet an elderly, dying man whose great invention caused him joy and pain in equal measures. We also meet his carer and she’s a strong character too.
What remains with me after the story is that it creates fantasy from the very depths of reality. Malky’s crocodile for example – but I’m not spoiling the story.
Another thought-provoking and memorable tale from Ross Welford.
- When We Got Lost In Dreamland is available now form Harper Collins Children’s Books. RRP. £12.99 (Provided for review)
