I am a big Catherine Ryan Hyde fan. I love how she tells stories. The characters are like real people. This book is no different. Stewie is the main character. He is 11 years old and his beloved grandmother has died. You are brought into Stewie’s world mostly through his eyes. Ms. Hyde brings her characters alive- they could live next door or at least in your town. I could go on with raves about the author but I think everyone should know that I love her books. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves to read a good story. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review. Another good one!

I love love love Catherine Ryan Hyde's books and her newest release, Dreaming of Flight does not disappoint. Five stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
What a lovely book! An uplifting, thoroughly sweet story with two great, well-drawn characters.
Stewie lost his parents when he was a baby, and his grandmother looked after him, his brother and sister. When she died, his sister took over the care of the family and Stuart looked after his grandmother's hens, selling the eggs door to door. This is how he met Marilyn, a taciturn, stiff woman who reminds him of his grandmother and they fall into an unusual friendship. She has a secret that almost ends their friendship, but Stewie won't let it.
Stewie is such a sweet boy, he cares for his hens like they're his babies (thank goodness I'm a vegetarian!), it almost made me cry. He cares about everyone, almost too much, but it made him a hero in my eyes.
Wonderful book, highly recommended!

Another great novel by CRH. As usual, the plot involves a young person who is helped by an older person and both benefit from the relationship. Although all of CRH's books have this major theme, they are each unique and have different life lessons.
Stewie is a 12 year old misfit. His parents died when he was an infant and he has been raised by his "gam" and older sister. His gam has recently died and he believes the world is unfair. All of his friends have two parents and multiple grandparents, but he has been given the short straw.
Stewie keeps his gam's hens in honor of her and sells fresh eggs to the neighbors. He meets a new neighbor, an elderly woman named Marilyn. Marilyn is like his gam in that she is old and stooped, but also in her brusk personality. Despite their differences, Stewie and Marilyn develop a strong relationship.
Several themes run through the novel: grief and sorrow, aging and memory loss, education and the function of the public schools, the burden of caring for children and the elderly, and the great blessing to found in making friends with people who are left behind. It is a thought provoking and powerful novel that is worthy of your time.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a book that you can connect to as a human, then this is for you. This sweet book introduces us to Stevie, a troubled 11 year old who's struggling with life changes. He meets an elderly woman named Marilyn, and together they find an unlikely friendship. I had trouble believing that Stewie didn't know certain words, but at the same time, it added to his character. This was an uplifting quick read. I was sad when it ended.

Dreaming of Flight is a story of hope, faith, and love. It is a story that will tug in your heartstrings and will change how you look at life. It's a story that will warm your heart and will teach you to believe again in the healing powers of love.

Catherine Ryan Hyde's write as though she already knows what her readers are expecting from her. The story is beautifully interwoven in the book that gives out a realistic glow in it.

I love Catherine's books, she is an amazing storyteller. This book is no exception.

I don't want to elaborate too much on this because I don't want to spoil it for anyone else, but I will say that I loved the fact that Stewie visited the nursing home as much as he did. He was the bright spot in a lot of people's days.

Great read. Bravo, Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Stewie Little has known far more loss in his family home than any eleven year old should have to bear. He doesn’t even remember his parents but he still knows stories about them. His Grandmother looks after her grandchildren, an older girl and two boys. Stewie is the youngest of the siblings and he loves his Grandmother dearly. She has a coup of chickens and Stewie loves seeing their love and friendliness. They lay warm fresh eggs that taste delicious. Then tragedy strikes for his family once again when their Grandmother dies. Stewie takes on the care of her chickens in memory of his grandmother and takes their eggs to sell to the nearby neighbours. His big sister takes on the care of her two brothers as well as working to bring home the money they need to run the house. They all help out and take care of each other.
It is when Stewie is out selling eggs that he enlists another new customer on to his regular round, an older lady called Marilyn. She is not very talkative and lives her life privately. In truth she is a bit waspy, but Stewie keeps supplying her with his fresh eggs and gradually she warms up to him. He knows she is lonely and with his impeccable manners and insight into her plight they build an inseparable friendship. Stewie understands Marilyn and she reminds him of his beloved Grandmother. It doesn’t matter to him that they are not of the same generation. He senses that she needs him and he feels protective towards her. In truth he needs her too. He instinctively knows she is hiding something from him but he doesn’t mind. He has no other friends because they don’t understand him or his brother. But he senses that Marilyn knows him, just like his grandma did.
As the relationship deepens Marilyn becomes more proactive and tries to find out more about her little friend. She has guessed that he may have literacy problems and when her suspicion is confirmed she suggests that they read together. She even buys Stewie a book of his own. In return for her help Stewie helps her in any way that he can. Marilyn is very wary of leaving her house. Stewie suspects that she is hiding a secret and is terrified that she will be exposed. He wholeheartedly gives her love and friendship. He asks no questions, he just supports her. He knows that they both have complex issues and whilst he cannot make them go away, their friendship enriches both of their lives. He waits patiently until the bubble bursts and then he is still there for her as her supportive friend. His life opens up for the better and soon his life changes forever. She has given him confidence, a precious gift.
I am a huge fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde. She is my ‘go to’ author for an uncomplicated and a very pleasant read. Her storytelling is wonderful, her stories always unique and stirring, and her characters are true to life, believable and they always warm my heart. They become like actual friends, I care about them and I am invested in their stories. I always know that I am in safe hands and will have a great reading experience. My favourite character is Stewie. He may not be the most able of students in the classroom, in fact far from it. But he is intelligent in ways that are important and very special. He is honest, faithful, steadfast, friendly, determined, polite and trustworthy. He is really kind and any mother would be lucky to have him as her son. I really enjoyed this heart-warming novel and I loved the satisfying conclusion of the story. Catherine writes beautiful stories about relationships and friendships, love and loss, determination and survival. Her stories often include animals or pets.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Lake Union Publishing through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you so much for my copy. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. This novel is a good read, poignant and thought-provoking. It is a lovely and rewarding read, and this is my 4.5* review.

Dreaming Of Flight is a book that centers around 12 year-old Stewie Little. He is being raised by his older sister and has a brother too. His parents died when he was just a baby and he recently lost his gran too. He loves taking care of his gran's chickens and collects the eggs, which he then sells to neighbours. It is on one of his egg delivery trips that he meets Marilyn. She reminds him of her gran, and the two form a friendship. When he discovers that Marilyn has a secret, he decides to keep it to himself, but at what cost?
Whilst I thought this was a sweet story overall, I think it really could've been taken to another level if the story was told from a few of the character's perspectives, for example, his siblings and Marilyn herself. It was a little slow for me but I appreciated that topics of grief were handled with sensitivity.

Another heartwarming book by this Author, she never fails to deliver. I recommend several of her books,
“Walk Me Home”, and “ Allie and Bea” are two of my favorites. Below a review from Fantastic Fiction:

An unexpected connection becomes the saving grace for two unlikely friends in a heart-stirring novel about love, loss, and moving forward by a New York Times and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author.

Never knowing his parents, eleven-year-old Stewie Little and his brother have been raised on a farm by their older sister. Stewie steadfastly tends the chickens left by his beloved late grandmother. And every day Stewie goes door to door selling fresh eggs from his wagon—a routine with a surprise just around the corner. It’s his new customer, Marilyn. She’s prickly and guarded, yet comfortably familiar—she reminds the grieving Stewie so much of the grandmother he misses more than he can express.

Marilyn has a reason for keeping her distance: a secret no one knows about. Her survival tactic is to draw a line between herself and other people—one that Stewie is determined to cross. As their visits become more frequent, a complicated but deeply rooted relationship grows. That’s when Stewie discovers how much more there is to Marilyn, to her past, and to challenges that become more pressing each day. But whatever difficult times lie ahead, Stewie learns that although he can’t fix everything for Marilyn or himself, at least he’s no longer alone.

Oh how I adore this story!
I fell in love with Stewart and Marilyn within the first chapters of this novel.
It is about a two people that became a family and their journey together generations apart.
Friendship has no age limit, but comes from a need as portrayed by Stewie and Marilyn.
The story has heart, heartbreak, determination, survival and admiration within its pages!

There is always guidance that can be shared in each of Catherine Ryan Hyde's stories.
I believe that it does not matter how old or young someone is: if we truly listen to what is being said by the one we care about, we can come away with some amazing information to ponder.

"You can be just a regular, real person and still be the magic somebody else needs in her life."

It is a perfect read anytime, but especially now! Well done!

What a story! I loved every minute of this book. It is so nice to read a book that actually makes you feel there is hope in the world. The young hero, Stewie has suffered a lot of loss in his short life, but, with a bit of help, and a sweet, innocent personality wins through. Themes such as family, depression, love, innocence and good old fashioned manners are explored in this book. I was sorry it ended.

I will read everything Catherine Ryan Hyde writes. She is a phenomenal storyteller and she knows how to bring characters to life. Dreaming of Flight brings us dear, sweet, tender Stewie. Stewie is an orphan who lost both parents when he was very young, and who recently lost his grandma. But he has his sister and his chickens. He sells his eggs to neighbors and gives his sister a portion of his earnings to help pay for living expenses. One day on his rounds Stewie meets Marilyn. She reminds him of his grandmother, although she is very guarded and somewhat unfriendly. But Stewie and Marilyn connect and the relationship they form becomes important and necessary for both of them. This is a beautifully written story, and one that pulls at the heartstrings, Well worth the read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

I found the start of this book slow going, it took me a while to take to the main characters, but after a while I really enjoyed it.
I enjoyed seeing how Stewie grew and developed.
Thank you NetGalley

Catherine Ryan Hyde hits it out of the park with this one. I have never
known another writer that can give you so many feelings reading her books, and none of her books are the same. You never know which direction she will go next. But I can say it will be well worth your time to pick it up.
This is another one that I could not leave for more than a few minutes at a time. She builds her characters up until you are 100% invested and cannot walk away from it.
This little boy, his hens, producing fresh eggs will have your heart along with almost everyone he meets.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Catherine Ryan Hyde, and the publisher for giving
me the chance to read this amazing story, and review it in my own words.

Stewie Little life revolves around his chickens. Every day he is out selling his eggs. He splits the money with his older sister to help with living expenses. Stewie’s parents died when he was a baby and he recently lost his grandmother. He takes pride in his eggs and making sure they are fresh daily. Then the day happens that several of his regular customers are not home and he decides to go to a new house. It is there that he meets Marilyn. Stewie is reminded of his grandmother and begins to show up regularly at Marilyn’s house. Marilyn is guarded and not very friendly it is obvious that she has a secret. Despite her attempts to keep Stewie at a distance, they begin to form an odd relationship that could lead to more devastation for Stewie.
Catherine Ryan Hyde explores many different life challenges in “Dreaming of Flight.” Stewie’s obsession with the chickens and the quality of his eggs leads the reader to see there is underlying issues. As his sister struggles to find help for his depression, Marilyn figures out that he cannot read. “Dreaming of Flight” is an easy read with powerful underlying messages. Even the minor characters are easy to relate to and empathize in their struggles. Stewie’s life lesson to Marilyn’s daughter about enjoying the moments you have left with someone instead of focusing on what is gone is a message everyone should have. Thank you Catherine Ryan Hyde, Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc of this book.

Thank you #Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc of this book. I love Catherine Ryan Hyde's books and this one is no exception. As usual, she know how to write characters so real they leap off of the page. Even the minor characters were well-written. I loved Stewie, a smart, honest, kind, sad boy, Marilyn was not a lovable character for most of the book, but she was great one. The story was so good. I had an idea about how the book would end, but I was wrong, the ending was better than I imagined. Once again kindness rules!

I must say Catherine Ryan Hyde really showcased her storytelling skills with this book. This is not a genre I usually read but I actually found myself quite absorbed in this story about a sensitive and caring young boy and his unlikely friendship with someone who could have been his grandmother.

I did not enjoy a previous book of the author's so I am glad I gave this a go.