Poet Anderson: The Dream Walker

Gr 10 Up—The epic tale of Jonas Anderson and his foray into the Dreamworld is pictorially introduced in this graphic novel compilation of three "Poet Anderson" comics. High schoolers Jonas and Alan Anderson live with their parents, who often work long hours. The brothers find their way to the Dreamworld, an alternative universe that resembles Earth. Alan is enraptured with another teen he has met in the Dreamworld, Ayo. She is not able to leave the Dreamworld, while Jonas and Alan can travel between worlds as Lucid Dreamers. The teens discover evil creatures, such as Night Terrors and Night Stalkers, which serve the supreme vile leader, REM. They also find Dreamwalkers, which are the guardians of Lucid Dreamers. REM has captured Jonas and Alan's mom, who, unknown to her sons, is a Dreamwalker. Jonas has unique talents as a Poet. Poets are gifted with the ability to move effortlessly between the two worlds and, with practice, build tunnels with their minds. The graphic novel format suits the fast-paced plot and will appeal to teens' tastes. The dialogue is simple and may encourage teens to take the leap to the full-length novel. Eerily stylized illustrations resemble a blend of manga and Marvel comics. Male characters have bulging physiques, while females are stereotypically curvy fantasy images that suit the science fiction genre. Several pages of a conversation with the author are included as well as a soundtrack CD of instrumental music by DeLonge's band. Concept art used in designing the animated film version concludes this slim novel.