Alphabet of Dreams (ISBN 0739335499)

Such a Terrific Read for Middle School and Above!:
What an original take on an old, old story! I literally could not put it down, until the end! Even then, I devoured her explanatory notes afterwards. This is a topic I teach frequently, and while I may differ on some minor points, the author has done an outstanding job of fictionalizing characters we wonder about so often. This book is so powerful, that I doubt another Christmas in my life will ever transpire without my looking at the creche and considering Melchior's pride, that tiny scrap of linen in the boot, etc. Well done!

Thought-provoking and beautiful:
Susan Fletcher seems to be a master at writing quality children's books. When I say quality, I mean her work is beautifully written and, while appealing to the young audience she writes for, it can also inspire and make them think deeper about the world around them. "Alphabet of Dreams" is the story of Mitra, a displaced Persian noble of about 13 or 14, and her younger brother Babak. As the story begins, Mitra (who poses as "Ramin," a boy) and Babak live hand-to-mouth and Mitra longs for her family, supposedly in far-off Palmyra, and the genteel life she used to know. When by chance Babak's talent for prophetic dreams comes to life, Mitra uses his ability to help them gain money for food. But the talent proves treacherous when Babak and Mitra are forced to accompany a caravan of scholars on an enigmatic journey across the desert, while the king's spies try to track them down. While Babak is the "dreamer" in the family, Mitra is the one with grandiose longings and an inability to accept the truth of their situation. Most of her actions are spurred by her desire to go to Palmyra to find the rest of their family, and she eventually learns the meaning of home and true, attainable dreams. In fact dreams are really what drive this book. Most of the main characters have some dream that drives them, whether it's to find a family, move beyond their station in life, or - subtly interwoven in the story's fabric - to find the Christ child. You suspect early on that this is a retelling of the story of the Magi, but Fletcher lets you piece it together on your own. She does a great job of sticking to the Biblical and historical record, as well. There were several times when I would refer to the Biblical story in Matthew, thinking that what I had read in "Alphabet of Dreams" wasn't right. But it was - Fletcher did a very good job in challenging this reader's preconceived notions of the Magi story. Historical notes at the end are also a nice touch for readers who might be interested in learning more. Overall, a beautiful book, and one that stays with you after you've read it.

a deep and satisfying tale:
This story pulled me in deep and wouldn't let go. It got richer and thicker as it went along. The best of it to me was the love story at the heart of the book. The main character, Mitra, goes around as a boy for safety reasons. Then a boy meets her and instantly knows she is a girl, even though no one else has seen through her disguise. And he loves her. This idea, that someone who loves you is someone who can see you, and how good it is to be seen, are beautifully and convincingly rendered.

This book wanted to be better...:
I am an adult who has two just-teen daughters that wish to expand into more "grown-up" literature. This can be tricky water to wade into - I want them to continue with their love of reading, but have found so many "YA" and "Teen" novels contain situations I am a bit leery of at this stage. Try finding novels in which the females are strong, smart, interesting and NOT sleeping around... tough to do when your kids are reading well above grade level in today's market. To get to the point, Alphabet of Dreams reviewed like the kind of story I might be looking for. It started off well, and I empathized early on with the heart-sick nature of an older sibling caring for a younger brother while fighting to survive as orphans when they were once well-loved and wealthy. I almost didn't mind the petulant voice of the narrative, taking into consideration the age of Mitra, who tells the tale. My main complaint with the story is that Mitra seems more 21-st century teenager worrying about having the most up to date cellphone than a disposed Persian "princess"(my word, Mitra refers to herself as 'royalty'). Perhaps the intent was to create a character modern girls would recognize and identify with, but in doing so the real meat of the story is merely skimmed over. Mitra often fondly recalls her grandmother saying "Remember who you are", and uses it to pull herself out of difficult situations - which would be fine, if she actually did behave with dignity and grace. I would have liked to see Mitra as an adult, living the life of singularity and determination who rose above what she and her brother endured, but the book never fully realizes this path. Mitra is selfish, self-absorbed, and worried about which boy she might like more, and to that end the conclusion of the story is trite and predictable. My daughters did read Alphabet of Dreams - and once read, have not picked it up again. This is very telling to me, as they will both read a book they like over, and over, and over, until the covers fall off and the pages wear out.

Beautiful in Every Way:
I am the type of reader who can't settle for just a good story or just good writing or just good characters. I have to have it all to truly lose myself in a book. With this book, I lost myself in the language first, loving the sentences and the voice of Mitra. Then I fell in love with Mitra and Babak, and then I grew to appreciate and love the secondary characters because they felt real, their motives complex and the changes that happen to them believable and wonderful. Then the story swept me up completely, and I loved how simple things like the coming of Mitra's "monthly courses" bring a tension that Mitra herself doesn't understand until they happen. I checked this out from the library and can hardly wait to buy my own copy.