As I Dream of You

Gr 9 Up–Franny and Sam fell in love easily and have a strong and rare connection, but their hope of staying together is torn apart by forces beyond their control. When Franny and Sam discuss the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in class, readers will get a hint of the tragedy that lies in their future. Even though they are soon separated by death, Franny and Sam will do anything they can to stay together, including meeting on the astral plane between life and death. While this story takes inspiration from mythology, it also packs a few twists that surprise the characters and will also surprise readers. This is a slow, lovely, and thoughtful story about the power of love versus the finality of death, and readers will be moved by the emotional journey. Sam’s drive to find a surviving grove of chestnut trees in their forest provides a poignant connection to life, death, and the rebirth of nature that will also pull on heartstrings. The book is visually stunning, most notably in the broad brushstrokes of the artwork and in the pink and periwinkle colors of twilight. ­