The Dream Make's Magic

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Kellen's mother has always insisted that her only child was born male, not female--so Kellen has been raised as a boy. At school, she meets Gryffin, whose mind is as strong as his legs are damaged, and the two become friends and allies. A few years later, the two get jobs working at an inn nearby. When it is discovered that Gryffin is the kingdom's new Dream-Maker--someone whose mere presence can help dreams come true--he is whisked away to the castle, leaving Kellen behind. By now, their friendship is shading into something more. Will it endure?

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 Up-Shinn returns to the world of The Safe-Keeper's Secret (2004) and The Truth-Teller's Tale (2005, both Viking), creating a stand-alone story with a unique heroine. When Kellen starts school at age 11, she is considered strange by the other children. She meets Gryffin, who is teased because his legs are deformed. As the girl grows and becomes more independent, she begins working at a local inn, which becomes a shelter for her friend when he needs to escape his uncle's abuse. After becoming involved in the lives of many of the travelers who frequent the inn and becoming ever-closer friends, the young people learn that Gryffin is the new Dream-Maker, whose very presence can cause others' dreams to come true. Kellen follows him to the capital, where more adventures follow, leading to a surprising conclusion full of twists and mistaken identities. Kellen's voice is authentic and direct, and her comments add humor and perspective to her adventures. This is a fast-paced and captivating tale, sure to appeal to fantasy fans looking for a touch of romance. Shinn has created a fully realized world full of unusual characters.-Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Gr. 7-10. In a warm-hearted conclusion to a trilogy of novels set in the same rustic kingdom, which also includes The Safe-Keeper's Secret0 (2004) and The Truth-Teller's Tale 0 (2005), Shinn again bypasses grandiose good-versus-evil dramatics for a more personal tale, structured around the gentle intercessions of Truth-Tellers, Safe-Keepers, and Dream-Makers in ordinary villagers' lives. Kellen, the narrator, is hurt by her befuddled mother's decision to raise her as a boy; her best friend, Gryffin, endures more literal pain from his malformed legs and abusive uncle. Supported by kind neighbors and strangers passing through, the protagonists fashion identities in their wider community and hesitantly inch toward romance--until the identification of a new Dream-Maker sets their lives on seemingly irreconcilable paths. Although the plot rolls along paths deeply grooved by the preceding stories, predictably hinging on giddy coincidences and life-altering revelations, many teens will find beauty and meaning in the themes of friendship, self-determination, and "rare, magical moments of kindness." Like its predecessors, this can easily stand alone. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2006 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

How lovely to tumble back into a Shinn fantasy-romance, the final volume in a medieval trilogy consisting of The Safe-Keeper's Secret (2004) and The Truth-Teller's Tale (2005). Like the first two, this stand-alone story maintains an undercurrent of magical possibilities that deliciously intersect with the down-to-earth lives of the characters. The often subtle power of the Dream-Maker, whose mere presence can make wishes come true, is at the heart of this lyrically written tale. Young readers will be swept along as two lives unfold: Kellen, dressed "in shapeless clothing suitable for a boy," because her mother, certain that she originally gave birth to a son, is determined to raise her as one (a premise which allows for an interesting discussion of gender roles); and her best friend, Gryffin, a lame boy, clear-eyed and smart. Shinn has once again deftly mixed magic with human struggles and adolescent foibles, using recurrent themes such as discovering a character's true identity, the triumph of love and the fight for justice, to create an irresistible read. (Fantasy. 12-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.