This is a great opportunity to revisit the world and characters of the book Wish. Idalee aspires to be a songwriter, and conspires with her friends to find a treasure hidden in her family's boarding house. This is a cozy story about friendship, family, and finding your place.

Idalee wants to be a songwriter since she doesn't think she'll make it as a singer, like her mom. Her mom leaves her with the assortment of renters who live in their big, rundown, old house so she can become a big star. Luckily, Idalee has good friends looking out for her. This is a hopeful book and kids who also have big dreams will enjoy Idalee's tale.

Barbara O'Connor takes readers from a Wish to a Dream in this sweet middle grade novel. This new book revisits the same southern town but centers on a young girls who dreams of being a famous country music song writer. Idalee Lovett lives in a ramshackle rooming house filled with quirky characters. The youngster wants to enter a songwriting contest, but doubts her own talent. she is convinced that she needs a new guitar to write a good song, and teams up with her buddies to search for the rumored treasure her Grandpa had supposedly hidden in the house. Fans of the 2016 "Wish" will enjoy revisiting the characters of Charlie, Howard and Wishbone who help her out, along with her new friend Odell. In the end of this sweet story, Idalee discovers that the true treasures are self-confidence and friendship.


This Dream is a companion story to Wish, not a sequel, and can be read as a standalone. The protagonist is only eleven and this middle grade novel is not as serious as many middle grade novels these days. It is appropriate for any youngster. I alternated between advanced copies of the audiobook and the ebook and adored the narration. No matter which format that you prefer, This Dream is a sweet story of friendship and coming of age.

Barbara O'Connor has hit it out of the park again. I love this sweet story, set in the western North Carolina mountains. Idalee is a curious, sweet, and funny character. She teaches us what it means to dream!

Dream is a standalone companion to Barbara O’Connor’s best-selling novel Wish.

At the center of Dream is Idalee. Idalee is a girl with big dreams. Specifically becoming a songwriter. But as a mother, reading this, it felt like Idalee’s other big dream is to be noticed, specifically by her mother. Idalee is living in a family home full of stories, but the person she needs the most, leaves her to pursue her own dreams. Along the way, Idalee does find family in the quirky cast of renters and friends.

And it’s while Idalee is with those supporting characters that Dream shines. In some ways, it feels like writing an award-winning song is the framework for a bigger, more important story. The actual music-writing parts just don’t “sing” as well as the rest.

Dream is a sweet read that feels warm and nostalgic. It should appeal to younger middle readers.

Friends come in all sizes, shapes and ages. Idalee learns lots of lessons as she counts on a new guitar to bolster her creativity. All ages will enjoy DREAM and the story of friendship in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My granddaughter’s response at the end of each chapter was always, “Keep reading!”

Delightful sequel (but can be read as a complete standalone) to Wish, one of my favorite books that I read aloud to my daughter when we first started our book club. A wonderful story about finding yourself, believing in yourself, and pursuing your dreams.

Idalee dreams of becoming a famous songwriter and performing with her Mama on stage. But when her Mama goes on tour without her, Idalee must figure things out on her own. There's a contest on the radio for songwriters and she dreams of winning the contest and showing everyone what she can do. She learns to believe in herself and discovers a lot about herself and her family through the friendships she makes.

Great side characters and so wonderful to be reunited with Charlie, Howard, Jackie, and Wishbone!

This one truly warmed by heart. Recommended for younger middle grade readers, ages 8+.

Dream was everything I was hoping for and more. When I first started with it I was wondering how it would relate to Wish. There is a new main character and I was worried who and how much we would see the characters from Wish. The tie ins were so perfect! We got to revisit some of the main characters from Wish and even see a bit of a different side of them. The story was beautiful, hopeful, encouraging and just so wonderful! O'Connor has a way of filling pages with emotion that keeps you coming back until the story is over. I hope one day to see a companion story about one of the other friends in Wish and Dream.

Idalee Lovett has big dreams; more than anything, she wants to be a songwriter, writing country music for her mom's up-and-coming band to perform. This summer, she has her first chance to make those dreams come true--a local radio station is hosting a songwriting competition! The winner's song will be performed live on the air by a country music superstar, and Idalee knows this is just the opportunity she needs to prove her talent. If only she had a new, unbroken guitar to help inspire her best songwriting... luckily for her, her musician grandfather may have hidden a treasure somewhere in their house, which is also home to a group of eclectic boarders. Can Idalee and her friends search the house, find the money, buy a new guitar, and win the songwriting contest, all before Idalee's mom gets home from a whirlwind musical tour?

While a bit thin on plot, Dream marks a charming return to the town of Colby, and fans of Wish will be delighted to find themselves reunited with Charlie, Howard, and Wishbone in addition to spending time with Idalee. However, the author also provides a few nuggets that will help new readers jump in without missing a beat. As always, O'Connor succeeds in crafting a tale teeming with whimsy, heart, and hope; her talent for creating memorable characters is on display once again, and will satisfy middle grade readers who enjoy a quirky, cozy, small-town story.

After reading Wish, my daughter and I were excited to dive into Dream, and it did not disappoint. We thoroughly enjoyed it just as much as the first book. It was great to see some of our favorite characters return, while the story shifted focus to a new main character. We also really liked the introduction of new characters and found the plot engaging and enjoyable. Overall, it was a great read that we both loved.

*Thank you to Barbara O’ Connor, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

I got the privilege to read an ARC of this book and I’m so happy about it. I loved Wish and thought it was absolutely adorable and heartwarming and Dream is nothing shy of that. I actually read it with my niece since it’s our thing so it was even more meaningful. The story follows Idalee who aspires to be a song writer and enters a competition. The story develops from there and it’s really just very heartwarming and sweet!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the first book, Wish. Dream wasn’t quite as good, but I loved seeing the characters from Wish and meeting all of the tenants in Idalee’s house.

I received an electronic ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through NetGalley.
O'Connor gives us another tenderhearted story of a young girl longing for a dream. Idalee Lovett writes country songs and longs to be part of her mother's band. They aren't interested in playing her songs but she continues to hope. Her house is home to a unique group of people who don't "upset the equilibrium" and live in community. Each rents a room from her mom and they support each other in many ways. Idalee also has a group of friends that encourage each other and get in trouble with each other. She decides to enter a song writing contest where the prize is having the song performed by a country music star. Her song has the same title as the book but readers know that the dreams are much bigger than the song. O'Connor hooks her readers early and makes them feel they are part of the group. They join in the fun and adventures and will relate to wanting to belong and be noticed and accepted. A definite must for elementary libraries.

In this heartwarming companion to the #1 New York Times bestseller Wish, Idalee Lovett dreams of hearing her country songs on the radio, but first, she’ll need a special guitar and maybe even a hidden treasure. With her mama on tour, her quirky friends by her side, and a determined spirit, Idalee sets out to uncover more than gold. She discovers the magic of believing in herself. With familiar favorite characters from Wish, Dream is a charming tale of music, friendship, believing in yourself and chasing big dreams in a small town.

I absolutely loved Dream, the heartfelt follow-up to Wish. This charming middle-grade realistic fiction novel tells the story of Idalee Lovett- one of the classmates we briefly met in Wish, now taking center stage. Following her mother’s summer on tour with Lovey Lovett and the Junkyard Dogs, Idalee tackles her own big ambitions: writing country songs and winning a local songwriting contest. To do that, she’ll stop at nothing, including uncovering a hidden treasure in her family’s old house to afford a shiny blue guitar and rope in her adorable pup, Wishbone, and loyal friends for the adventure.

Releasing on August 26, 2025, Dream is perfect for readers ages 8–12 and brimming with O’Connor’s signature warmth, small-town charm, and low-key humor. Idalee’s voice is vibrant and genuine, and I was hooked from the first page. Themes of friendship, perseverance, and believing in yourself shine through, making it a cozy read that still packs emotional depth. Whether you’re a fan of Wish or new to the Blue Ridge Mountains town of Colby, Dream will pull at your heartstrings and leave you smiling and maybe even humming a country tune.

📝 Recommendation

If you’re shopping for a moving, relatable story for kids or just someone who loves gentle, character-driven tales, Dream is a gem especially for the 8–12 age crowd.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the chance to review this companion story to the much beloved, Wish.
Sadly, this one lacked the heart connection that I found with Wish but it was nice to revisit the characters and I adore the cover.
There were quite a few characters to keep track of and I was very disappointed with the choices that the MC's mother made and was expecting more about music.
Though it lacked the character development and heart that I was expecting, it was a quick, entertaining story that will be enjoyed by many readers 10+.

This felt trite. Girl wants to be a songwriter, girl enters contest and wins. As a musican, I really struggled with the lack of musical effort and knowledge in this. The protagonist blames having a crummy guitar for not being a great songwriter, but the author clearly doesn't know enough about music to even make that feel believable. There's also little struggle or character development, and the characters felt one-dimensional and stereotypical. I'm sure a lot of people will find it heart-warming, but for me, I'd say give it a pass.

Dream by Barbara O'Connor is a heartfelt and engaging story that highlights the power of friendship, perseverance, and teamwork. Idalee and her friends are relatable characters that children can easily connect with. Their journey to uncover a long-lost treasure is filled with moments of courage, cooperation, and resilience.

I especially appreciated how the story emphasized the importance of sticking together and supporting one another through challenges. Idalee and her friends modeled what true friendship should look like, making this book not only entertaining but also meaningful.

This would make a wonderful read-aloud in the classroom, sparking rich discussions about character, problem-solving, and the value of working toward a common goal.

I will be purchasing this book to add to the library for my students to read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for the ARC.

My daughter and I absolutely cherished our time each night reading this story together. It was just darling. My daughter adored the main character.

Country music lovers and realistic fiction lovers will thoroughly enjoy this book. While related to her other book, Wish, this is a standalone book.