The Dreamer
by Pam Munoz Ryan
Literature Review by Lizzi
Awards
Fictional Novel based on Pablo Neruda's Childhood
Neftali's Estranged Relationship with his Father
Pablo Neruda, Pam Munoz Ryan & Peter Sis
Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet and politician who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971 (Pablo Neruda). He was born Ricardo Eliezer Neftali Reyes y Basoalto, and used the name Pablo Neruda as his pen name until he legally changed it. Pam Munoz Ryan took on a huge task with illustrator, Peter Sis, to create The Dreamer. Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis were able to accomplish many intentions with this book through its prose and illustrations. They told the story of a world renowned poet that is so little known to Americans (Pablo Neruda). Peter Sis’s illustrations capture young Neftali’s whimsical thinking perfectly. Together Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis tell an inspiring story of a young child with a huge imagination and a passion for reading and writing.
Personal Connection
Unique Mulicultural Novel
The Dreamer is a unique multicultural novel because it tells the early life of a historical figure that is unrepresented in American education. I interpreted the stories multicultural intention was to inspire the reader to learn more about the famous Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda.
Applied to the Classroom
Works Cited
Botelho, M.J. & Rudman, M.K. (2009). Critical multicultural analysis of children's literature:
Mirrors, windows, and doors. New York: Routledge.
Fránquiz, M. (2011). Teaching Latina/o children's literature in multicultural contexts: Theoretical and
pedagogical possibilities. In S. Wolf, K. Coats, P. Encisco, and C. Jenkins, (Eds.). Handbook
of Research on Children's and Young Adult Literature (p. 108-120). New York, NY: Routledge.
Ryan, Pam Munoz. (2010). The Dreamer. New York, New York: Scholastic.
Welcome to the Pura Belpré Award home page!, American Library Association. Retrieved from:
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal
Pablo Neruda. Poetry Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/pablo-Neruda
Image retrieved from: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search- alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Dreamer