Maera is the daughter of the King of Nightmare, and she has never quite fit in. Living in a land where everyone seems to know their place, all she wants is to discover her own purpose. But that clarity is hard to find when you live in Nightmare.
Things change when Maera spots Theodore. Lost in Nightmare, heâs desperately running from the terrors that hunt him, unaware that facing them may be his only way out. Theodore possesses abilities that could change everything.
When Maera, drawn by curiosity, unintentionally disrupts Theodoreâs dream, she breaks the one rule that governs her world, Never Disrupt a Sleeperâs Dream. Now bound by a mistake that could unravel her world, a dangerous alliance forms between them. Maera's quest for purpose and Theodore's struggle to confront his fears become entwined in a fate larger than either could have imagined.
In this unexpected adventure where friendship might be the most dangerous thing of all, Maera and Theodore will discover if they have the strength to rewrite their destiniesâbefore it's too late.
Brace yourself for a journey beyond dreams, where courage is the only weapon against the darkness.
Maera is the daughter of the King of Nightmare, and she has never quite fit in. Living in a land where everyone seems to know their place, all she wants is to discover her own purpose. But that clarity is hard to find when you live in Nightmare.
Things change when Maera spots Theodore. Lost in Nightmare, heâs desperately running from the terrors that hunt him, unaware that facing them may be his only way out. Theodore possesses abilities that could change everything.
When Maera, drawn by curiosity, unintentionally disrupts Theodoreâs dream, she breaks the one rule that governs her world, Never Disrupt a Sleeperâs Dream. Now bound by a mistake that could unravel her world, a dangerous alliance forms between them. Maera's quest for purpose and Theodore's struggle to confront his fears become entwined in a fate larger than either could have imagined.
In this unexpected adventure where friendship might be the most dangerous thing of all, Maera and Theodore will discover if they have the strength to rewrite their destiniesâbefore it's too late.
Brace yourself for a journey beyond dreams, where courage is the only weapon against the darkness.
âColossal, look,â Maera said to the gigantic reptile dozing beside her as she pointed toward the dark Forest of Screams and Shadows. The great dragon stirred next to her, waking from his nap. His glossy black scales glinted like thousands of fire-licked jewels across his massive body. Lazily, the great dragon turned and blinked intelligent, golden eyes at her before letting out a big, smoky yawn, exposing long, glistening, sharp teeth. His gleaming scales flashed with each movement, reflecting the colorful skies streaked with daunting oranges and reds, like sunsets before a big storm. The sky cast the land in ominous colors, frightening most who looked upon it like the great dragon himself. The entire horizon was blanketed in colors of red, and closer to the forest, the clouds gathered and darkened into heavy, pregnant grays, threatening to unleash their fury upon the misty, gloomy forest beneath.
Daytime was a mix of red, angry skies, or the colors of a fierce storm, whereas the night was a starry sky obscured by pockets of clouds, permitting only a small amount of the hazy moon to ever peek out, giving the landscape a haunted feeling. The dismal sky wasnât what caught her eye, though. No, it was the boy who raced toward the forest itself.
âThere, Colossal,â Maera gestured again toward the dark forest. They could just make out the boyâs form, made clearer by his bright, pale hair as he ran from the ugly witch who chased him.
The black dragon finally glanced down, stretching his long, spiked neck to peer at the valley below. The friends were perched on a brown, rocky ledge that jutted out from the Mountains of Terror. Many steep ledges and sharp rocks made an imposing, twisted mountain border around the land of Nightmare. It was one of the best views of the land, and from there, Maera could see everything.
Maera watched the boy with white-blond hair and red-and-blue pajamas run from Old Hagetha. She was one of the scariest witches in Nightmare, the land of bad dreams. Maera lived in Nightmare, and it was all she had known for as long as she could remember.
âDo you think Olâ Hagetha will catch him?â Maera asked Colossal. Colossal narrowed his eyes until he almost squinted. He snorted, causing smoke to puff out of his nose, before giving a quick nod. Though Colossal couldnât speak words, Maera had no trouble understanding him.
âMaybe youâre right,â Maera sighed. âThen again, heâs got a good head start.â The boy is fast⌠faster than the other children that often come to Nightmare. âDo you think heâll wake up? Or stay a while in Nightmare?â
Colossal growled and then hissed before snapping his large jaw and letting a low, rumbling noise crawl up his golden chest.
âHe might wake up,â Maera argued. âSome can do that, you know.â After another tense moment of watching, she tapped her chin in thought. âI think we should get closer. Iâve seen him before. I want to know what heâll do if she catches him,â Maera declared.
Colossal growled a warning, voicing his disapproval at the idea.
âI know, I know. Iâm not planning to interfere,â Maera swore with a hand over her heart. She wasnât supposed to interfere with a Hunt. A Hunt was a nightmare where a Sleeper would get chased down and tormented. They called the people who visited the Land of Dreams Sleepers. They either found themselves in Nightmare or Dream but disappeared from the realm the moment they woke up. Maera never visited Dream. Those who lived in Dream stayed in that realm, while those who lived in Nightmare stayed in Nightmare, where she lived.
âHe looks pretty scared,â Maera noted as she watched the boy run from the witch.
Since this was Hagethaâs hunt, Maera couldnât get involved. Even though there were a select few Sleepers who knew how to wake themselves up if they got too scared, no one else was allowed to interrupt the dream. All Sleepersâ nightmares must play out without interference from other Wonders because a Sleeper would get more out of a nightmare if it ran its course. Her father, King of Nightmares, said that was important. It had something to do with Sleepers facing their fears and working through things to better understand their real lives and the world they lived in, the Waking World.
If only I could go there, but Wonders couldnât leave the Land of Dreams. Only Sleepers could leave when they woke up.
âOh! Look,â Maera pointed. Finally, the boy reached the first line of trees, racing directly into the dark forest. âIf he stays in there, heâs sure to get so scared that Hagetha might catch him, and I want to see if she does. Brigga failed the last time the boy came here, so I want to see if Hagetha can do it.â
Colossal snorted again. Maera pushed away from the rocky cliff face of the Mountains of Terror, standing and dusting off her hands.
âCome on, Colossal. I want to get a closer lookâI promise I wonât interfere. I just want to see if Hagetha will catch him. If she does, do you think she will scratch at him, scream at him, or maybe try and eat him?â Before Colossal could respond, Maera frowned. âHmmm. Maybe she wonât try to eat him. Thatâs more Sindaâs style.â Sinda was another witch who lived in the Forest of Screams and Shadows.
Colossal yawned, and a heated, fiery breath escaped and shimmered as heat waves in the air before he snapped his sharp, white teeth together with one final snort.
âYouâre right. Olâ Hagetha likes to claw at the Sleepers with her ugly, sharp nails. I still want to see, though.â This boy had dreamed of witches before. Sometimes, it had been in the House of Familiarity, a house near the edge of the forest that transformed to look like the Sleeperâs house in the Waking World. This boy visited Nightmare more often lately. Maera was curious to know why. Many Sleepers only visit Nightmare occasionally, spending most of their nights in Dream.
Maera had first seen the boy through the upper bedroom window of the House of Familiarity. He had woken in Nightmare in a bedroom that looked just like his, and Brigga tried to scare him by hovering above his bed in her dress of shadows. She was good at that. Her fingers were gnarled, crooked, and long. Despite her efforts, the boy slipped out of bed and ran outside. Then he did something Maera hadnât seen in a long time. He leaped into the air and flew⌠without wings. When he reached the stars, he woke and disappeared.
The second time the boy dreamed of witches, Sinda tried to lure him into her cottage. Her cottage always seemed warm and inviting compared to the scary forest. It was nestled deep inside the forest and at the first glimpse, looked safe, providing a haven from all the creepy creatures, the moans and screams, and the shadows that played tricks on the mind. But her cottage was a trap, and once she lured a Sleeper inside, Sinda would try to put the Sleeper into a big pie and cook it in the large oven to eat as a snack. When Sinda tried this with the boy, he woke up just before she draped the crust over him.
âLetâs go,â Maera said as she patted Colossal on his massive shoulder. He lowered his large, leathery wing so she could climb up on top of him. He stood as tall as two horses and was as long as a bus. She had to arrange her red and black dress to sit on top of him. Thankfully, she had thought to wear her black leggings underneath. Once she was comfortable, she held onto the Colossalâs long neck spikes as he rose onto his thick hind legs, using his wings like elbows to crawl to the cliff's edge. He jumped off, and his beautiful black wings unfolded, catching the wind until they soared through the air toward the forest. Maeraâs long, curly brown hair worked itself out of her braid and fluttered in the wind behind her.
âHurry,â Maera urged. Colossal tucked his wings closer to his body, and they dove. The ground got closer, as did the trees. He expanded his wings once more, and then they skimmed along the tops of the trees.
âThere!â Maera called out, pointing to the boy who was weaving in between the trees. Hagetha was close on his tail, cackling with twisted glee as she chased after her prey. In Nightmare, Hagetha was the hunter, and the boy was the hunted. Screams and moans echoed from inside the eerie forest, affirming its proper name, the Forest of Screams and Shadows. The shadows played tricks on the eyes. Sometimes, glowing eyes would shine from inside of them. Sometimes, the shadows took the shape of monsters. The wind passed through the leaves and branches, sounding like screams and moans, making the shadows more terrifying.
âGet me closer,â Maera ordered. âYou can land in the meadow. Heâs heading right for it.â Colossal flew toward the Meadow of Mist, a clearing inside the dark, dense forest. Once he landed, a few ghosts closed in on Maera. The tall grass was slick with condensation from the mist that swirled around them, and the tops brushed against the back of Colossalâs knees. Strange noises echoed in the foggy meadow, making it seem more frightening to Sleepers. Ghosts moaned and groaned, sometimes using the mist to sneak right up and torment you. Sometimes, they reached through the fog to touch a shoulder, pull hair, or grab an arm for scares. Maera waved them all off.
âNot now,â Maera ordered impatiently. âWait until the boy gets here.â She slid down the scaly side of Colossal, landing on her feet. âOtherwise, he wonât be surprised.â The ghosts melted back into the mist. Maera pushed her hair out of her face and stepped toward the trees, but Colossalâs rumbled warning stopped her.
âI know,â Maera rolled her eyes. âIâm not interfering. I just want a better spot to watch.â Colossal grunted his dismay at the idea but backed away, blending into the shadows.
Maera ran toward the forest when she heard Hagetha and the boy. She quickly climbed one of the dark, twisted trees. As she ascended, the octopus-like branches tugged at her red skirt, which she quickly yanked free. She found a sturdy branch and settled herself, calming her breathing and holding very still.
Hagetha cackled, and her gnarled fingers with long, chipped nails reached for the boy, but he was fastâtoo fast. The relentless witch didnât give up, and she floated after him, something only a few creatures in Nightmare could do. Witches, ghosts, and shadow monsters all hovered without wings.
âCome here, child, letâs play,â Hagetha called out. Her voice was sharp and unnaturally high-pitched. Her voice grated on Sleepersâ ears, causing the hair on the back of their necks to stand up, chilling them to the bone.
The boy was almost to the meadow.
You can do it! Maera thought, not daring to speak. She leaned forward, trying to see through the shadows of the trees. As the boy ran, the shadows shifted and changed. Some showed glowing eyes, while others mimicked shadow monsters, forming scary shapes, even though they were only shadows. The boy swerved away from the one with the glowing eyes, and Maera had to cover her mouth as she snickered. Now, they headed right toward her tree.
Perfect!
Just as he raced by, Maera leaned too far forward, and the branch she had held onto snapped. With a squeak of surprise, Maera tumbled to the ground, her skirt snagging and ripping as she fell. She landed on her back with a thump.
Startled, the fair-haired boy screamed. He stopped when he got a good look at her.
She blinked in surprise as she waited to catch her breath.
âWait, yâyou⌠youâre like me,â the boy stuttered. âHelp me,â he pleaded.
Maera was in for it now. She wasnât supposed to interfere, but up close, she saw how frightened he was.
Hagetha drew nearer; her shrieks and cackling laughter drifted eerily through the trees.
Maera scrambled to her feet but wasnât sure what to do. I should run and leave him here, but⌠he looks so frightened.
âPlease,â the boy begged with desperation pooling in his blue eyes.
âFine. Come with me.â Maera reached and took the boyâs hand. She dragged him toward the darkest shadows.
âWait, no, not there,â the boy implored, struggling against her hold.
âTrust me,â Maera said, and then she ran, keeping a firm grip on the boyâs hand.
The boy followed despite his urge to run from the shadows full of glowing eyes. The boy tightly squeezed her hand tighter as they fled through the gloomy silhouettes. They raced past the rocks, bushes, trees, and shadows. They ran until they reached an old, gnarled tree far bigger than any others in the forest. It had no leaves and looked like it could come alive at any moment, grabbing whoever dared to get too close.
âI donât think this is a good idea,â the boy said, but Maera silently towed him after her. She rounded the side of the tree until she found the large split in the trunk that was wider toward the base.
âIn here,â Maera whispered, dropping the boyâs hand and crawling through the large crack in the tree.
The boy hesitated but followed when he heard the witchâs voice closing in.
âOh, child! Come play with me,â Hagetha called with a shrill voice that cut like glass. She got closer. âCome be my little pet.â Her terrible cackle caused the boy to drop to his hands and knees and quickly crawl through the crack in the treeâs base. Inside, Maera held her finger to her lips, urging the boy to be quiet.
âChild⌠where are you? Come out so I can chase you down, you little runt!â Hagethaâs voice drifted around the tree while she searched. Immediately, the boy placed his hand over the top of Maeraâs as he trembled with fear.
âCome out, come out, wherever you are,â Hagetha beckoned. âLetâs play a game!â
The boy searched Maeraâs eyes, but Maera merely shook her head.
âA game where I squeeze the breath out of you! Boy? Where are you?â Hagetha continued looking. When she wandered closer to the tree, the concealed children pressed themselves against the inside trunk of the tree, remaining hidden within.
Eventually, Hagetha moved on but continued searching for her prey.
The boy and Maera waited until the witchâs voice grew quieter the further away she hunted. When they couldnât hear her anymore, Maera smiled.
âThanks,â the boy sighed with relief. âThanks for saving me. Iâm Theodore, but my friends call me Theo.â
âIâm Maera. Just Maera.â
âYou look like me. Does that mean youâre having a nightmare, too?â Theo asked.
âNo. I live here.â
âYou live here?â Theo retorted with his eyebrows nearly leaving his forehead.
âYes.â
âBut⌠isnât it scary?â Theo whispered.
Maera smiled. âNot to me.âÂ
âDoes that make you one of them?â He pointed in Hagethaâs direction.
Maera shrugged her shoulders. âI guess so.â
âSoâŚâ Theo scooted away from her, inching closer to the opening of the tree. âDoes that mean youâre going to try scaring me, or will you try and hurt me? I mean, this is a nightmare, isnât it?â
Maera frowned. âYes. I mean, no.â
âWell, which is it?â Theo demanded; his eyes widened as he waited for her answer.
âThis is the Land of Nightmare, but I wonât hurt you,â Maera confessed. âI should probably go now, though. I shouldnât have saved you; Iâm not supposed to do that.â Maera pushed past Theo and crawled out from inside the treeâs trunk. She brushed the dirt from her red and black dress.
âWait! Where are you going?â Theo called after her.
âIâm not supposed to interfere with peopleâs nightmares,â Maera said over her shoulder.
âWhy?â he asked, trotting after her; a trail of dust billowed behind him as clumps of dirt fell from his pajamas.
âBecause my father said that itâs bad, but I didnât mean to.â
âDidnât mean to what?â Theo questioned.
âYou know, interrupt your nightmare?â Maera clarified, slowing enough that Theo could catch up. âI was watching from the tree, and the branch broke, which is why I fell.â Maera stopped to face Theo.
âThen where will you go? Are you just going to leave me here? Alone? In this creepy forest? What if that scary witch comes back?â
âWhoa!â Maera balked. âYou have a lot of questions.â
âI do. Like, what now? And why canât you stay for a little while longer?â Theo fired back.
âWerenât you saying a second ago that I might scare you or hurt you?â Maera put her hands on her hips.
âWell, yeah,â Theo scratched his arm. âYou said youâre from here, so I just thoughtâŚâ his voice trailed off.
Maera turned and marched toward the Meadow of Mist, where Colossal waited.
âHey,â Theo said, running to catch up. âIâm sorry.â
âFor what?â Maera asked.
âFor thinking you might hurt me. I just thought, since this is a nightmare, you might turn into a monster and scare me, too. Iâm sorry if I got that wrong.â
âIt doesnât matter,â Maera flatly stated. âI shouldnât have intervened. I shouldnât have gotten in Hagethaâs way. I wasnât supposed to do that.â
âIâm glad you did,â Theo said. âThat was nice of you. Thanks.â
Maera stopped and looked back at Theo.
Theo paused and sheepishly kicked at the dirt. âI really thought sheâd get me,â he added.
Maera turned around and kept trekking toward the meadow with Theo in hot pursuit.
âYou canât follow me,â Maera informed him.
âWhy?â
Maera frowned and then spun and faced him. âIâll get in trouble. If you follow me, everyone will know I helped you when I shouldnât have.â
Theo looked surprised. âSo, youâll get punished? Really?â
âYes.â She began walking again. âSo, stop following me.â Maera tried to sound bossy, but Theo easily caught up, following her toward the Meadow of Mist.
When they pushed through the fog, the ghosts instantly appeared, separating from the mist that hovered above the long cheatgrass. Their moaning and groaning loomed closer, happy to have a Sleeper to torment.
âWâwhaâwhat is that?â Theo stammered.
Maera trudged on, swishing her arms and waving off the ghosts while searching for her dragon.
âMaera? Are those ghosts?â Theo asked while pointing to a couple of phantoms that floated closer to him. As they reached for him with their glass-like hands, Theo squeaked, âMaera?â He froze. âMaera!â His feet were stuck in place like he was sinking in quicksand; he couldnât move. âMaera, pleaseâŚâ
Maera stopped and turned, huffing with frustration. âIâm not supposed to help.â
âPlease,â Theo begged. âDonât leave me here with them.â
Theo looked so helpless and so alone. Maera grumbled a complaint under her breath, knowing she was about to make another big mistake. Turning on her heel, she stomped back to Theo and grabbed his hand. âEnough!â she barked, and all the ghosts scattered, disappearing into the mist. She pulled Theo behind her.
âI think theyâre gone now,â Theo said breathlessly. âHow come they listen to you?â
âThe ghosts?â Maera asked.
Theo nodded.
âWell,â she thought about it for a moment. âI guess itâs because Iâm from here. None of them can really hurt me. They might try if they thought they could, but Iâve been here long enough that they donât scare me anymore.â
âI wish I werenât afraid,â Theo confessed.
âAnd what would you do if you werenât?â Maera wanted to know.
Theo shrugged. âI guess I would try and help others who were scared. First, I would fight back and make sure the nightmares couldnât hurt me or anyone else. Then, if I could, I would make it so that no one ever had another nightmare again.â
âIf you did that, this place,â Maera spread her arm out, gesturing to the world around her, âNightmare wouldnât exist⌠and neither would I.â
âOh,â Theo frowned. âI didnât think of that.â Then, a smile tugged at his lips. âI know! You said this is Nightmare, where nightmares happen. So, doesnât that mean thereâs a land of good dreams? Where are all the good dreams?â
âIn Dream,â Maera answered. âThat realm is past the Ocean of Despair and the Mountains of Terror. Iâm not allowed to go there.â
âWhy?â
âBecause Iâm a Wonder in Nightmare, which means I belong here. I donât belong in Dream.â
Theoâs brows drew together. âWhatâs a Wonder?â
âA Wonder is any creature born in The Land of Dreams. Since I was born here, Iâm a Nightmare Wonder. Those born in Dream are Dream Wonders. Nightmares donât mix with dreams.â
âThey donât?â Theo frowned.
Maera thought for a moment and then shook her head. âI donât think so. I was always told to never cross into Dream, or I might disappear.â
âWhat if I took you there? Could you go if I went with you? Maybe itâs different if you go there with me since Iâm not from here.â
âI⌠Iâm not sure,â Maera said hesitantly.
âWe could try! If you were there in Dream, you could help me stop others from having nightmares. Then I could come back and help people escape their nightmares! Since youâd be in Dream, you wouldnât disappear if this place no longer existed! Youâd be safe!â
Maeraâs lips pressed together. âIâm not sure that it works like that.â And what about all my friends? She didnât want them to disappear.
âWhy not?â Theo questioned.
Before she could answer, a roar shook the ground as Colossal came out of the shadows. Colossal had heard every word theyâd said and wasnât happy. Maera feared he would tell on her to her father.
âYou have to go, Theo,â Maera hissed. âYouâve upset Colossal by talking about ending nightmares.â
âWhat do you mean? What is that? Whatâs a Colossal?â
âHeâs a dragon⌠a dragon who knows you want to put an end to Nightmare,â Maera answered. âYou need to go. Can you wake yourself up?â
âNânoânot usually,â Theo stuttered.
âThen run, NOW!â
âBut what about you?â Theo asked while he backed away.
âIâll be fine, I think,â Maera replied. She likely would get in huge trouble now with her father. Colossal was sure to tell him everything.
Another roar ripped through the air, shaking the ground again. This time, Colossal stomped toward them. The fog hid him enough to make him look like a large shadow that got darker as he drew nearer.
âHurry, Theo. You need to run.â
Colossal emerged, and his massive black form cut through the mist, which curled and swirled around him like wisps of white smoke. He sucked in a breath, and his golden chest glowed; he was about to breathe fire.
âRun!â Maera shouted.
Seconds later, the dragonâs mouth was open, and the building inferno was ready to be released.
Theo took one look at Colossal and then ran.
Colossal blasted a jet of fire, but Theo dodged it, avoiding being burned.
âColossal, donât,â Maera warned, but Colossal only answered to the king. Now, Colossal felt it was his duty to properly scare Theo. Maera had interrupted Theoâs nightmare, so it was up to Colossal to fix it. The great dragon drew in another big breath, and the blistering blaze glowed within his chest. Just as Colossal was about to unleash his fire, Maera jumped in front of Theo.
Theo turned to see where the massive dragon was, and he saw Maeraâs daring move. âMaera! Look out!â Theo cried just as the burning flames blasted toward them.
Maera lifted her hand. The moment the fire reached her, she thrust her hand outward, causing the fire to split and move around herself and Theo.
âYou need to run!â Maera told Theo. âI canât hold him off for long!â
Theo didnât answer, so she turned to face him.
He had disappeared.
Maera put down her hand and sighed in relief.
Beyond Dream by A.S. Godin is a middle-grade fantasy tale about Maera, the daughter of the King of Nightmare, and her search for purpose.
Maera is one of the Wonders in Nightmare, created by the King of Nightmares. She spends her time watching the Sleepers, people from the Waking World who visit Nightmare in order to work through their fears through interactions with the other Wonders of Nightmare. Maera's father has forbidden her from interfering with the Sleepers and their nightmares, as this may keep the Sleepers from achieving the solutions they need to apply in the Waking World.
Maera develops an interest in Theo, a Sleeper approximately Maera's age, who seems to visit Nightmare often. Theo always flees the Wonders, rather than attempting to face them. When Maera accidentally allows herself to become known to him, he pleads with her to help him escape the terrors. The two become friends. Against her fatherâs wishes, Maera repeatedly interferes with Theoâs nightmares and helps him to escape his fears.
Maeraâs friendship with Theo becomes a catalyst by which Maera discovers the truth about her existence in Nightmare and what she must do to continue to exist and live out her purpose.
Beyond Dream is an engaging and effective middle-grade fantasy story. A.S. Godin does a great job of telling the tale. The characters and their questions and motivations are realistic. The storyline and subject matter are provocative and appropriate to the target age group. The author creates interest with the use of relevant challenges and questions, accompanied by fantastical creatures and language that engages the senses, to bring contrast between Nightmare and Dream.
The main question in Beyond Dream is that of Maeraâs purpose. While she continues to search for her purpose, becoming more and more unsure of herself, her assistance is integral to helping Theo to become more self-confident, less anxious, and more able to face his fears. The events build and coalesce into a crisis moment where Maera must race against time to make a move before her own existence ends.
Beyond Dream reaches a startling climax in which Nightmare intersects with the Waking World, and their differences, as well as the harsh truths in the ways that they are connected, are clearly illustrated.
The one issue with this novel is the number of scenes used to progress through the story to the climax. There may be one or two too many that seem to simply pad the story, repeating events in different ways, rather than to advance it. Whether this is supposed to be a reference to possible repeat dreams is unclear.
Maera's visits to Dream seem to be less part of the flow of the story and more so that she can visit Dream, simply because it exists. Is Dream a necessary part of the story? Would the story of Nightmare be able to stand alone without the inclusion of Dream?
The events in the Pirate adventure seem slightly out of place, and while used as an illustration of Maera's creative powers, this doesn't seem to be clearly communicated as the reason why these events happen.
However, once Maera finds herself in a place called the Roads to Wreckage and faces her own fears, the story reclaims itself with a sudden tension and a call to action that Maera must heed, bringing Beyond Dream to a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, Beyond Dream may appeal to middle-grade readers that are questing for their own purpose. The challenges, fears, and questions that Maera and Theo both face are relevant. The resolution of their challenges may be helpful in emphasizing to the audience the importance of facing oneâs fears and overcoming them as the means to a satisfactory conclusion, as opposed to continually fleeing them and living in fear and anxiety as a result.