About the Author

Chris Brodien-Jones is the author of The Dreamkeepers, a Simon & Schuster book.

Reviews

While visiting Wales, 12-year-old Derek Morgan and his eight-year-old sister, Eve, are caught in an ancient struggle between the Dreamkeepers and an evil sorceress. The Dreamkeepers are held in an ice spell, while the sorceress is trying to enthrall Eve--and only Derek can release the magic that will free the Dreamkeepers, thus bringing hope and joy back to the nearby village. Brodien-Jones never pauses long enough in her breathless narrative to sufficiently explain the various actions here, and as a result her characters' motivations remain a bit murky. Despite its arresting imagery, the novel's lack of exposition makes it, like a dream, too personal to be fully enjoyed by anyone other than the dreamer herself. Ages 10-14. (Oct.)

Gr 4-6-- The hills and castles, people and places, and languages and poetry of Wales signify fantasy, magic, and folklore to many people, including 12-year-old Derek. He and his younger sister have flown from their home in Boston to visit their Welsh grandparents in Rhydhowell, but Derek is disappointed when the first week of their visit brings nothing but rain. Then the snow begins, bringing the boy mysterious dreams about the retired librarians (or are they really dreamkeepers?) living in the ancient halls of neighboring Rhonabwy Court, cared for (or are they imprisoned?) by the equally ancient housekeeper, who has revealed herself to Eve as the Ice Queen, Iona. As the snow deepens, the librarians enlist Derek in their final battle to save themselves--and much more--from Iona's icy entrapment. Meanwhile she is ensnaring Eve with entrancing tales of the Ice Forest. This is a brief fantasy--138 pages of relatively large print do not allow for much background or development of the ideas presented. The device of deep snow bringing deep magic is reminiscent of Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising (Macmillan, 1986) , although The Dreamkeepers lacks the depth, detail , and the Arthurian connection that mark her novels. The descriptions reveal interesting and unusual characters and objects in great physical detail but without much perspective, leaving readers with clear mental pictures of the events, but little explanation of why, or of what might happen next. The story seems to have been unfolding for some time before readers arrive on the scene; they witness the final swift climax and then must imagine its denouement as well as its beginning. --Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA