It was heartbreaking when Annie’s role in The King and I is not celebrated due to racism she experiences from her middle school classmates. My heart hurt for her as she took on the much deserved role that her peers assumed she got due to her ethnic background. I loved seeing her triumph and was drawn into the book by the emotion it evoked in me feeling for her experience. This is an important story for middle schoolers to read.

This book is absolutely wonderful and captivates the magical but anxiety inducing woes of middle school in the most charming characters. The writing is incredibly addictive, and I couldn't put it down. I laughed out loud and had my heart broken and pieced back together in the best way, and can't recommend this enough

I love it, liked it, and Waka wrote such a good book! Highly recommend it! And I enjoyed reading it when I could.

I really enjoyed this unassuming book. Annie is a great character who is both quiet and determined, but also knows what she wants. I appreciated that she dealt with friendships that weren't working for her and helped herself grow as a person.

I'm not too much of a theater person but enjoyed learning about it a little more in this book.

3.5 stars

I think what I like best about this book is that it doesn't over-simplify race relations. Does Annie face racism? Absolutely. But she see it in different forms. It's less about slurs and discrimination than it is about micro-aggression. Annie isn't allowed to be a "normal" kid when it seems like everyone points out her racial heritage at every turn, usually in a negative way. And the realizations of her community's unhealthy racial attitudes are focused more on how other adults treat her parents than on how her peers treat Annie. It's a great book to read with your kid or in a group discussion, to help them interpret what they have read.

Set in the 1980s, this is an inspiring story of a twelve-year-old Japanese American girl who pursues her dreams in spite of obstacles she faces because of her race. As Annie tries to make sense of the microagressions and biases she experiences, she holds on to her beliefs that there is a place for her in the theater group, as well as on the basketball team. In addition, she is also navigating challenges with friendships and first crushes. This is a compelling story that addresses important themes.

Waka Brown brings us a relatable story of finding your purpose in life as Aoi (Annie) discovers her love of theater and acting despite the underlying racism of a White community in the 1980s and her Japanese-American family's expectations. We follow Annie through three drama productions where her abilities and confidence grow as she discovers her love of acting and her natural talent for storytelling. Annie faces friendship drama, a growing crush, and frustrations with her height and allergies... typical teen problems told gently and with good humor. Highly recommended for middle school libraries!

Brown succeeds in everything she sets out to do, spinning a story about racism, microaggressions, the pressures of stereotypes both from within and without, and the power and pitfalls of dreaming, all with a bright, engaging main character at the center. I did think that Ben's heel turn came a little abruptly and could have used some more foreshadowing, although that did allow it to act as a real gut punch, and although the time jump was a bit sudden, I appreciated the way that Annie balanced politeness and strong self-respect in terms of her friendships as the book ended.

This is a wonderful "slice-of-life" book about the ups and downs of middle school through the eyes of a Japanese-American student living in Kansas in the 1980s. Annie (aka Aio) loves theatre, basketball, and hanging out with her friends. Her math professor father wants her to do well in school but encourages her to dream big in every are of her life...even if there are not other Asian American role models. There's a gentle pace to this book that has just enough school/friend/family drama to keep it interesting but the main character is so real and likable that I was invested to just find out if she got a part in the school play or made the basketball team. I highly recommend it to fans of realistic fiction that are relatable to any kid and also give readers insights into what it might be like to feel different than those around you. Perfect for fans of the Three Keys series.

The best word to describe this middle grade piece of fiction is charming. Annie provides not only a centerpiece for the novel, but a character who the audience can relate to and appreciate for her humor and realism. An excellent addition to my library's shelves.

Annie is a Japanese American girl growing up in Kansas in the 1980s. In her first year of junior high school, she learns a great deal about friendship, her family, herself, and her aspirations, mostly through her participation in school basketball and extracurricular drama. I really enjoyed Annie's journey, and seeing what she learns from her various friendships and activities, as well as microaggressions directed at her because of her ethnic background. The characters are relatable, and Annie is an appealing main character. I also enjoyed the bits of her family's Japanese heritage that we get to see in her day-to-day life. Looking forward to being able to recommend this book to young patrons in my library!

Wake T. Brown continues to write engaging and thought-provoking books which explore identity and relationships in a pitch-perfect way for adolescents. Dream, Annie, Dream explores themes of racism and privilege from the lens of a Japanese-American main character in a way that will resonate with all readers.

Being a Japanese-American girl in Topeka in the late 1980s isn't easy. All of Annie's friends are white, there's only one other Asian American girl in Annie's new middle school, and people treat her and her family like they are somehow less than because they look different. Luckily, Annie finds acceptance in the theater community, first in a production of Annie and then in The King and I. Over the course of the school year she recognizes microaggressions aimed her way, even from her best friend, and by the end of the story she is confident enough to push back against the comments people make. This is a sweet coming of age story that will especially appeal to young readers interested in the theater.

Another great story from Waka T. Brown, Dream, Annie, Dream is an amazingly realistic tale about a Japanese-American girl in 1980s Kansas. The entire book is well-laid out, with the play practices being accurate. Annie is a relatable character and the overall book was rather good. Excellent plot twists as well.

I loved Dream, Annie, Dream. The question to ask is what could you have been if someone had believed in your childhood dream, as much as Annie believes in her own? But what happens when innate bias' and stereotypes attempt to limit the vision of who you can be and what you can do? Annie is a wonderful story, fun and powerful all at once. I highly recommend it for young readers in a guided reading group or whole group discussion.

Dream, Annie, Dream
by Waka T. Brown
HarperCollins Children's Books
Quill Tree Books
Children's Fiction | Middle Grade | Multicultural Interest
Pub Date 25 Jan 2022


I am reviewing a copy of Dream, Annie, Dream through HarperCollins Children’s Books/Quill Tree Books and Netgalley:


Annie Inoue is the daughter of immigrants who came to America for a better life, she was raised to dream big. And at the start of seventh grade, she’s channeling that irrepressible hope into becoming the lead in her school play.


When Annie lands an impressive role in the production of The King and I, she’s thrilled that is until she starts to hear grumbles from her mostly white classmates that she only got the part because it’s an Asian play with Asian characters. Is the fact that she’s Asian, all they see when they see her? Is this the only kind of success they’ll let her have—one that they can tear down or use race to belittle?



Annie is disheartened, but she’s also determined. She channels her hurt into a new dream,, showing everyone what’s she’s made of.



I give Dream, Annie, Dream, five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I loved this book so much! Annie’s voice is so on-point throughout. Being cast as a small part in the play, reflecting on comments that feel wrong- are they?, thinking about what she wants to be. Full of rich themes that are ripe for discussion and important conversations, especially nowadays. Reminds me of Mia from Front Desk series by Kelly Yang- facing stereotypes and micro aggressions, persevering, finding your voice... and your dreams.

With a fantastic balance of humor and heart, DREAM, ANNIE, DREAM gives a vivid glimpse into what life was like for Asian Americans in the midwest of the 1980's. Annie's voice was so entertaining, and I found myself rooting for her as she sought to conquer both stage and basketball court. A winner for sure!

Annie’s dad tells her “ you can be anything you want to be.” However, as the ups and downs of trying out for the musicals Annie and The King and I and for basketball she finds those tryouts are hard. Annie realizes that the reality of things can crush your dreams. However, she doesn’t give up even when things get tough with friends and her mom. In the end, Annie finds that when chasing your dreams you may need a little help from others and that you might be able to help some achieve their dreams. Great book,