Dream On is a solid middle grade graphic novel about friendship. Cassie deals with friendship struggles when a seating change in class leads to her best friend finding new friendship. Although Cassie's friendship issues seem to be a side plot while her dream big personality seems center stage, both plots are well developed and thoroughly explored.

Much more upper elementary and middle grade than I expected. Dream On isn't a title that my high school students would care about, but it will definitely appeal to younger students and fans of Hale's other works.

Cassie has a new baby brother and it's causing her trouble at home. Her family doesn't seem to notice her any more. Her friend moved to a house on a busy street. Now, her favorite teacher is retiring. On a whim, Cassie fills out and enters a sweepstakes. Now she dreams of winning 3 prizes, getting her family to notice her, and throwing her favorite teacher a great party. Will she succeed? Will her family ever notice her again?

The illustrations are bright and colorful. . The plot is easy to follow and well written. The characters are realistic, authentic, and easy to sympathize with. Readers who like graphic novels, Shannon Hale, realistic fiction, and trying to get noticed will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.

Dream On is a delightful and heartfelt graphic novel that beautifully captures the essence of coming-of-age. The story focuses on the ups and downs of friendship, showcasing how intense emotions can be during adolescence while emphasizing the importance of handling conflicts with care and maturity. Shannon Hale’s storytelling is both relatable and touching, especially in its exploration of family dynamics and the idea that “family” can extend beyond traditional boundaries. The nostalgic 80s/90s setting adds a charming layer, making it a perfect conversation starter for sharing childhood memories with younger readers. With its fun, uplifting tone and satisfying happy ending, Dream On is a joy to read and a wonderful story to share with kids. Can’t wait to revisit it with mine!

Another cute story from Shannon Hale! If you like her writing and graphic novels, then you'll most likely enjoy this.

Shannon Hale can genuinely do no wrong. I laughed. I cried. I cheered so hard for this girl who is just trying to make it in the world.

I am not always a graphic novel person, I know the value of them but usually I end up disappointed because they did not go far enough or cover things in a relatable or easily understood way for everyone. This is a wonderfully told important story. It is relatable, after all who doesn't struggle growing up with friendships and wanting to be "grown up" while also still wanting to be able to imagine all things are possible.
The way they used color to show moods makes it easy to see what she is feeling and how she is processing her thoughts. I love the messaging and I know a bunch of kids who struggle the same way with how they are feeling, wanting to be mature while wanting to believe in fairies just a bit longer.

The always popular Shannon Hale addresses friendship, busy families, and "sensitive" kids in this graphic novel for children. The MC is a middle-ish child in a very big family facing financial difficulties, which means she doesn't really get the level of individual attention she craves and, really, needs. She is also highly sensitive and, really, a bit less mature than some of her peers, which further complicates the situation. I think if this book was aimed at a slightly older audience, say middle school, the story would also address issues of anxiety and depression, but those are not touched upon in the narrative. I think there's a lot kids can connect to in this book, but I wonder if the severity of the MCs sensitivity and anxiety may accidentally put up barriers as well.

Cassie feels like she is losing her best friend to another friend and when they are mean to her she isn't sure how to react. She also really wants to be seen within her family, but she has a bunch of siblings.
I loved her teacher and how she encouraged Cassie to be herself. That being sensitive is just a way to feel more and see more throughout the world.
Cassie figures out that she can have different friends who do different things together. And that she is allowed to speak up.
Another great graphic novel from Shannon Hale.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

Cassie (4th grade) is one of six kids in a family where money is tight, bedrooms (and beds!) are in short supply, and her mom’s longed-for attention is almost always elsewhere. Cassie is often called “sensitive,” usually in a “don’t be so sensitive” or “you’re so sensitive!” type of way–often by her older sister–which makes her think it’s a personal flaw. She has a best friend named Vali and adores her teacher, Mrs. Farmer, an older woman who is eccentric, loving, and encourages her students to see the “wonder” in things.

The idea of “wonder” is really striking to Cassie, who spends a lot of time daydreaming and feeling things strongly. Opening the mail one day, Cassie finds a magazine sweepstakes with a gold “Winner” sticker on it and believes that, once she returns the enclosed letter, she will get her pick of three of the prizes shown in the brochure: furniture sets, vacations, a car, a waterbed (it’s the ’80s). Life will be so much easier for her family!

She shows the brochure to Vali, who likes imagining the possibilities with her. But things are becoming strained between Cassie and Vali. Their rather manipulative classmate, Stesha, has been doing her darndest to drive a wedge between Cassie and Vali–to the point that Vali feels she can’t hang out with Cassie anymore, because Stesha will stop talking to her. (Stesha is their age but seems older to Cassie; she’s not into games of make believe like Cassie is.) Stesha also thinks Mrs. Farmer is weird and a liar, and she sometimes laughs meanly at Mrs. Farmer in class; this confuses Cassie and poisons her opinion of her beloved teacher.

But it’s Mrs. Farmer who really helps Cassie to accept her own sensitivity and to see the good in it. At home, Cassie also gets unexpected support from her older sister re: her friendship struggles, and she also has a rare afternoon of having her mom entirely to herself, which helps. In the end, she and Vali make up, and they agree that Vali will take turns spending recess and lunch with both Cassie and Stesha; on the days when Vali is with Stesha, Cassie hangs with her new friend Thomasi.

Shannon Hale is, as always, so good at writing really relatable friendship struggles, and I think kids who are sensitive like Cassie will find her extra relatable. I also love the way the characters are drawn by this illustrator. The colors are vibrant, and the characters are cute, but not cutesy.

This is a sweet boy about a young girl working through her being called overly sensitive and problems with friends. Friendship is such an important part of our lives and so many young girls go along with someone for the wrong reasons. Books like this will help more girls to find the positive friendships they deserve.

Dream On centers on Cassie, a young girl longing for more – more space, more attention, and more material comforts. She pins her hopes on a sweepstakes win, believing it will magically solve her problems: a cramped living situation, a distant family, and a drifting friendship. The story thoughtfully examines the question of whether possessions can truly buy happiness and explores important themes like empathy, friendship, and navigating big emotions, particularly for sensitive children.

Reading Dream On evoked a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of the simple yet significant desires of childhood. However, I wonder if today's middle school readers will fully connect with the dated elements like the rotary phone and the central plot device of a magazine sweepstakes, which might feel foreign to them. While the emotional core of the story remains relevant, the specific context might require some explanation for a contemporary audience.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Dream On is a middle grade graphic novel about Cassie, a girl with a big imaginary life and big emotions. She is overwhelmed by a big family, a girl at school who pretends to be friends, and why her teacher has moved her seat. She is very relatable in all her big dreaming and her comfort zone of just having one friend. Having more than one is hard!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this DRC.
#DreamOn #NetGalley

Fourth-grader Cassie Lu, one of six children, often feels overlooked by her busy parents. Her friendship with Vali is her anchor, making it all the more painful when their classmate, Sesha, comes between them. In this heartfelt graphic novel, Shannon Hale captures a young girl’s journey to be understood and valued. With the guidance of a compassionate teacher, Cassie learns that her sensitivity is not a flaw, but a strength. A good read for fans of Hale's work, as well as children who identify as highly sensitive persons (HSPs).

A fine graphic novel from Hale, similar to Real Friends but probably appealing to a very slightly younger audience. Similar to Jennifer Holm's Sunny series. Not necessarily a standout in a crowded market, but will definitely be enjoyed by fans of realistic graphics.

I've connected to her story far too easily. I've been told I'm too sensitive more than I can count. I felt in my bones the need to change who you fundamentally are in order to have friends. It broke my heart, but it brought me back to childhood me.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC to review! I thought that the illustrations and writings were very kid friendly and could see kids enjoying this graphic novel. My only quip about this book is that the time period seems unrelatable to kids now and they may not understand certain things that the author brings up.

This was a cute, relatable, and nostalgic look at life as the middle child (among 6 kids) in a working class family in the 80s. Cassie is caught in the middle in many ways--her family is so busy and big that she feels invisible, her parents are stretched for money with her dad as the breadwinner who recently was laid off and started a new job, and her friends are in a transitional stage where some things that always felt stable are beginning to shift.

Throughout the story, Cassie gets lost in daydreams and believes in wonder and fantasy, even when she is teased for it. Her siblings and a bossy peer all tease or borderline bully her at times, and she has her own anxieties for being seen as too sensitive. Thanks to the caring adults in her life, such as Mrs. Farmer, and the siblings who aren't as bad as they seem, Cassie feels understood and seen. It is only then that she is able to make growth in her friendship relationships and start to see how things don't have to be all or nothing.

Perfect for fans of Shannon Hale's Best Friends series, and would also be good for fans of Babysitters Club Little Sister's graphic novels as well.

This is another fantastic graphic novel by Shannon Hale! Cassie's struggles with friendship, feelings of being overlooked, her desire to do something nice for others, and her sensitivity will resonate with middle grade readers. The graphic format brought forth the character's thoughts and emotions, and the elements of "wonder" stood out clearly. I will definitely be purchasing this for my middle school library and recommending it to readers and other librarians. I'm also looking forward to the sequel, "Dream Big," coming in August of 2026.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Roaring Brook Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Cassie is a girl with big feelings, sometimes known as a 'sensitive person'. She feels her emotions in a higher state than others might, which can make some situations feel more serious than they might be. Cassie is also dealing with living in a large family where she doesn't have her own space and often feels like she isn't being heard. She works through all of this while a new girl essentially 'steals' her best friend from her. Cassie has to learn to accept herself and learn how to make herself heard as she navigates these challenges. As a sensitive person myself, it was interesting to read a story that I felt I could relate to.

Shannon Hale is an amazing mid-grade author. I love how she used the look of ribbons to show the wants/needs of the main character. I can only imagine how a person could feel over looked when in such a large family. Showing how difficult friendship changes can be was very relatable for the age of the reader. Very cute.