Little gem . . . Grief and joy in abundance, I found it incredibly moving

It looks so slight. Its illustrations promise something gentle and delicate. So I have a feeling that this book may be mistaken as a quick and easy read – and it’s not. It’s something much more memorable, strange… almost grown up. And written in such a beautiful, original style!
It’s sophisticated, poetic, exquisitely sensitive to nature and sorrow and turmoil and desperation. And rich in metaphors…

“The grass is long and happy.”

…though it should probably come with a
WARNING:
“Now and then, you may not quite understand.
That’s because this is a book about a boy who can’t quite understand himself.

A beautiful, honest and powerful story exploring the loss of a parent. This difficult topic is handled bravely, with originality and warmth. Rex’s story will break your heart then mend it.

Loved The Dream House, I was in bits by the end. It’s not easy to write about grief and Laura does it so beautifully; it bristles with colour and texture.

Laura is one of the most original and interesting voices in children’s literature and I always look forward to reading any new book she writes.

It’s one of those rare books that looks and feels special before you even turn the first page. Laura’s writing and Gwen’s illustrations are a perfect, harmonious marriage of styles.

A beautiful little book

I’ve just finished it, what a book!

Excellent

The Dream House is stunning.

A really touching and thoughtful book

A fantastic book for KS3 book group discussion, The Dream House is also bound to spark creative writing ideas in English lessons. A refreshing read that will be long remembered.

So beautiful, so powerfully moving, the ever-inventive Laura Dockrill has done it again with The Dream House – an incredibly honest, child-centred story about a boy’s struggle with terrible grief (and guilt) after losing his dad.

Beautifully presented with Gwen Millward’s soft, evocative, powerful illustrations – including Rex’s sketchbook drawings that provide poignant insights to his pain – this has all the marks of a future classic. Rex doesn’t talk much now his dad’s gone, and he’s gone to stay with his godfather Sparky, his dad’s best friend since childhood – “Mum said it would be good for me here; Sparky would take care of me so I could get some peace and ‘feel better’. To give her space while she dealt with what needed to be dealt with. But it was also because she couldn’t deal with me.” Rex is worried because drawing “doesn’t make me feel good like it used to”.

Nothing is the same, and he’s terrified of returning to the Dream House, a magical place created just for him. A magical place that’s filled with his dad. But little by little, with Sparky’s sensitive support (what a guy; his tenderness is sublime), and after talking to the boy next door, Rex is able to return to the Dream House, able to begin his long journey back to the world, to a life without Dad, but a world in which Dad is remembered and cherished, in the soothing knowledge that he doesn’t have to carry the heavy burden of grief alone.

I was completely blown away by this powerful novella…There were smiles and there were tears as I watched [Rex] struggle to come to terms with his loss and with his final moments with his father. Definitely something to share with tweens to open up conversations about grief and loss.

A short story that packs an emotional punch. Heartbreaking and hopeful, The Dream House is a gentle exploration of bereavement, grief, growing up and the healing power of tea.

This is a fantastically written book which really embraces themes which are often not seen frequently within children’s books or, if they are, aren’t delved into in a way which helps children begin to understand or access them.

The layout and accessibility of the book make it brilliant for children of any age. It’s definitely one I’ll be keeping in my classroom to help open discussions about some difficult themes.

An incredible mix of prose, poetry and playscript . . . Laura Dockrill has created a beautiful, engaging mix of forms that forces the reader to think about feelings, dealing with grief, and coming to terms with the past and present.
Powerful and poignant, this is a moving and heart-warming tale that I loved, even though it tugged on my heartstrings!

The Dream House from Laura Dockrill, with delightful illustrations by Gwen Millward, is pure delight. What a book! Tender, heart-warming and so engaging. The sort of book that draws you into its world, and wraps you up in its exquisite narrative and artwork. The Dream House handles child bereavement, grief, mental health and the power of imagination beautifully, SO beautifully. As I closed the book after devouring the final pages, I knew it would be a book that would stay with me for a long time.

over 100 pages of text and pictures draw the reader into Rex’s world. Containing text and illustrations in a ‘scrap book’ style, this is a unique book. Rex is staying with his godfather, Sparky, following the death of his father. The plot explores Rex’s experiences of grief, love and memories when he returns to the Dream House.

Dockrill masterfully explores the relationships between Rex and his family members through short chapters. The illustrations by Gwen Millward bring the lyrical text to life. Each of the five characters in the book is represented by a symbol, which is used in place of speech marks. Initially I had to keep flicking back to the key at the beginning but I soon grasped who was speaking to who. Millward captures the confused emotions around grief through her drawings; the sadness and dark places mixed in with memories and moments of happiness.

A super exploration of grief, family and memory, this would be a good text to explore with bereaved children. It would help children who know someone experiencing a loss to understand their feelings too. Initially this text looks simple and short but there are many layers to be explored on multiple readings. It is suitable for upper key stage 2 and above (9+); younger children would be able to access with some support.

112 pages / Reviewed by Bryony Davies, teacher
Suggested Reading Age 9+

I love the style of Laura Dockrill’s writing – it is original and lyrical and absorbs the reader entirely into the multi layered thoughts and consciousness of its main character.

This is a beautifully moving story of a boy struggling through the stages of grief after the loss of a parent. Rex goes to stay with sensitive, supportive godfather Sparky (dad’s oldest, best friend) to try and escape painful memories and reminders of his dad’s months of illness at home. Rex feels adrift; cut off from his love of nature and drawing and unable to process thoughts of his dad and come to terms with how his illness altered their relationship. When he rediscovers his childhood Dream House in Sparky’s garden, built by his dad and Sparky, will he be able to open up and allow himself to face the realities of grief and of being able to remember his dad lovingly, too?

When Rex hears a voice over the wall and then meets a curious by called Sidney, the reader is kept intrigued and enthralled too by what is real and what is not. Is Rex’s grief stricken mind playing tricks on him? Is Sidney real? A ghost of his father? A voice inside his own head?

The powerful, honest writing of Laura Dockrill and absolutely stunning illustrations and sketches of Gwen Millward make The Dream House an incredibly emotionally-charged story. As with her previous book about parental loss, Dockrill takes great care and responsibility to balance the fear, confusion and heart wrenching pain of grief with the joy, warmth and pure love contained in the precious moments and memories of our lives. She doesn’t shy away from the bleakness and heartache but, at the same time, she wraps the reader in gentle comfort and warmth and moves with them on the emotional journey she creates.

This book moved me to tears and made me smile and cry in recognition of all the emotions it contains. The last few pages are amongst the most powerful and beautiful words I have read for a long, long time and touched my heart completely.

112 pages / Reviewed by Jennifer Caddick, teacher
Suggested Reading Age 9+

Rex has gone to stay with his godfather, Sparky, but a lot has changed since his last visit… Rex has lost his dad and is struggling with overwhelming grief. He no longer talks much and even finds it hard to draw like he used to. However, with love and support, he gradually finds himself again.

In The Dream House, Laura Dockrill has created a powerful, tender story which really explores grief from a child’s point of view. Rex has been sent to stay with Sparky, his dad’s best friend, and although his mum has said she thinks it will be good for him to get away, Rex is left worrying that she really means she can’t deal with him. This idea is sensitively explored, allowing children to empathise with Rex and offer the chance to discuss and explore his feelings. Sparky is a wonderful character who shows how men can be sensitive and supportive. Rex’s dad used to be annoyed by this at times, but now his son is benefitting from the guidance of this tender man.

As an adult reader, I had to pause many times to shed a quiet tear whilst reading this book. Although a slender volume, The Dream House is fully charged with emotion and written in evocative, lyrical language, beautifully illustrated throughout by Gwen Millward. It is a very special book, offering comfort and hope to all who read it.

112 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher
Suggested Reading Age 11+

The books of autumn in our house. The Dream House, an extraordinary, tender offering from @lauraleedockrill about grief, love and loss, beautifully illustrated by @gwenmillward

The Dream House by #lauradockrill (illustrated by #gwenmillward & published by #piccadillypress) shares the incredibly emotive & emotionally very powerful #story of Rex, a young boy whose father has died after months of illness, & who is struggling to come to terms with his grief, thoughts & feelings. Rex is sent away after his father’s death to stay for a while with his father’s best friend, Sparky, & he rediscovers his early childhood Dream House – built by his Dad & Sparky. But – he is too scared to re-enter the house & lose himself back inside because his Dad isn’t there, life isn’t the same any more & how will he cope with that?
I’ve purposefully read the book a few times in order to fully appreciate the beautiful & sensitive way in which it is written & the wonderfully sympathetic illustrations by Gwen Millward, which accompany Rex’s journey through the book. It’s a story which doesn’t fail to make the hairs on my arms stand on end, & tears have filled my eyes on every occasion I have read it. Whilst it is recommended from age 12 upwards, the story has also enabled me to open up some fantastic dialogue with my three children (ages 7, 10 and 12), who themselves have experienced the loss of a fairly close family member in the past couple of years, & I have appreciated it so very much for that reason.
Laura Dockrill encapsulates the grief & physical/emotional/mental rollercoaster which young Rex is experiencing to perfection. In particular the image of his head filled with a description of how broken it feels. We all found this so relatable & yet so tragic.
I don’t want to give the rest of the story away because it’s far too beautiful to spoil, suffice to say it has an ending that fills my heart with equal measures of joy & sadness. Each & every one of us experiences #loss & #grief at some stage & this is most certainly a must-have addition to your #bookshelf. This isn’t particularly a #book for #Christmas, but as a #Christmasgift it’s most certainly a conversation starter & a truly essential purchase whatever the time of year. I can’t recommend The Dream House more highly. ?Available to buy online or from all good booksellers RRP:£9.99

This novella for young adults follows Rex on a visual and illustrated journey through his thoughts, fears, recollections and dreams. Presented as both scrapbook and 1st person narrative, the reader learns that after his dad died Rex has gone to stay with his godfather. Rex’s once treasured safe place in the garden now feels different, and he must grapple with his emotions to feel happy again. A fantastic book for KS3 book group discussion, The Dream House is also bound to spark creative writing ideas in English lessons. A refreshing read that will be long remembered.