  | Zac and the dream stealers Author: MacKenzie, Ross | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
Zac, 11, follows his grandmother into the magical world of dreams called Nocturne, where Dream Pirates led by Shadow spread dark magic to create nightmares, & Zac & new friends must foil the evil plan.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.70 Points: 8.0 Quiz: 151887 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 3-5 Reading Level: 3.80 Points: 13.0 Quiz: 57007 | |
Common Core Standards
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, & Rang
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, & Rang
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → 5.RL Key Ideas & Details
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (05/01/12)
School Library Journal (07/01/12)
Booklist (05/15/12)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 05/15/2012 “Your secret headquarters is a pub?” asks Zac, the hero of this series opener, “And the Dream Stealers have never found it?” If it’s not obvious from the dialogue, Zac is a nascent Harry Potter–type thrust into a world of hidden magic and evildoers. Other parallels include not only newfound friends ready to join the fight against a crew of power-hungry nasties, but also an avuncular, white-bearded mentor called Tinn, who leads the Knights of Nod and sees in Zac the special powers that were foretold by a seer and are needed in the battle to keep safe the land of Nocturne—the realm of human dreams. The real action kicks off when the Dream Stealers begin to twist dreams into sleep-stealing nightmares and kidnap Tinn. If the world created by Scotland-based MacKenzie seems a bit derivative, it’s nevertheless fun and action-packed, and it will keep young readers amused as they puzzle out exactly how Zac and friends will escape from, say, a pack of werewolves or a village taken over by wily vampires. More to come, perhaps? - Copyright 2012 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 07/01/2012 Gr 4–7—A plague of nightmares is keeping the whole world awake, including Zac Wonder. His grandmother is acting very strange, so he follows her into Nocturne, the world of dreams, where the war that is being waged by the Dream Stealers and their allies-the vampires, werewolves, and goblins-is spilling over into the Waking World. Fighting the good fight are the Knights of Nod, led by Grandmaster Rumpous Tinn, who, unfortunately, has been kidnapped by the Dream Stealers. Fortunately, the remaining Knights, including Granny Wonder, are there to take up the slack. Unfortunately, one of them is a traitor. Fortunately, a group of talented and brave kids is there to help, including Noelle, who has the ability to become invisible; twins Tom (think Loyal Sidekick Ron Weasley) and Tilly, and (briefly) a mysterious Vampire boy. Oh, and Zac, who of course turns out to be magically gifted himself. Yes, this will seem very familiar, but readers who like the more fanciful aspects of Harry Potter will appreciate the magical world of Nocturne, which is described in loving detail, and the quick-paced adventure. Buy where middle-grade fantasy fans are still going through H.P. withdrawal.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
