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Book Summary and Reviews of Courage to Dream by Neal Shusterman

Courage to Dream by Neal Shusterman

Courage to Dream

Tales of Hope in the Holocaust

by Neal Shusterman

  • Critics' Consensus (3):
  • Published:
  • Oct 2023, 256 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

National Book Award winner Neal Shusterman and acclaimed illustrator Andrés Vera Martínez present a graphic novel exploring the Holocaust through surreal visions and a textured canvas of heroism and hope.

Courage to Dream plunges readers into the Holocaust - one of the greatest atrocities in human history - delving into the core of what it means to face the extinction of everything and everyone you hold dear.

This gripping, multifaceted tapestry is woven from Jewish folklore and cultural history. Five interlocking narratives explore one common story - the tradition of resistance and uplift. Neal Shusterman and Andrés Vera Martínezare intentionally renowned creators who have collaborated on a masterwork that encourages the compassionate, bold reaching for a dream.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Inspired by actual examples of aid and rescue recounted in brief between each story, the author celebrates courage in the face of brutality and terror...Moving examples of the power of culture and folklore to offer help, hope, and inspiration to act." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Shusterman (I Am the Walrus) and Martinez (Little White Duck) deploy a mixture of fantasy and history to reimagine elements of the Holocaust...[A] standout chapter bursts with fierce energy, and foregrounds the characters' agency in overcoming an apparent hopeless situation. Other entries feature visual drama and effective tension-building, portrayed in a comics style reminiscent of the 1950s and teeming with fantastical elements." ―Publishers Weekly

This information about Courage to Dream was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Neal Shusterman

Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including the Unwind dystology, the Skinjacker trilogy, Downsiders, and Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award. Scythe, the first book in his latest series, Arc of a Scythe, is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television shows. Neal is the father of four, all of whom are talented writers and artists themselves. Visit Neal at StoryMan.com and Facebook.com/NealShusterman.

Andrés Vera Martínez is a cartoonist and illustrator. He is the co-author of the graphic memoir, Little White Duck: A Childhood in China. Andrés' work has been recognized by The Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, 3x3, Junior Library Guild, Slate Cartoonist Studio, School Library Journal, Horn Book Magazine, NPR, and the New York Times. He currently lives in New England with his family. For more, find Andres at andresvera.com.

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