The Dream Spies (The Nightmare Thief #2) by Nicole Lesperance

What worked:

The author introduces a world where dreams are valued and enjoyed by the public. Maren and Hallie are learning to create mental fantasies with their grandmother that are sold at her dream shop. The ingredients are unusual, but business is good. A dream camp finds sleepers experiencing battles inside video games, crawling around like very hungry caterpillars, and bowling with fairies. It’s not surprising to find magic in this book, but the magic is confined to dream-making.

The camp is the setting for the main problem, as the kids and counselors experience increasingly troubling reactions to the dream concoctions. The girls and their grandmother are concerned about an advertisement for the camp, so they’re undercover trying to solve the mystery. Gran-Gran has an idea about the identity of the mastermind, but the author offers many characters for readers to suspect. The more puzzling matter is trying to figure out why the dreams are being manipulated. Why are so many campers singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and why are they hungry for turkey sandwiches all at the same time? Readers should be able to make predictions based on the clues provided by Gran-Gran and her granddaughters.

Colorful characters can enhance stories, and Henri the pet parrot literally adds color to the book. He belongs to Gran-Gran and plays the part of messenger between the main characters. He can follow instructions and repeat what he hears, but the twist is that he speaks in short phrases using multiple languages. The result is confusing and humorous conversations between the girls and the bird that sometimes end with Henri dropping poop and flying away. Henri is obnoxious with an attitude, but that makes him whimsical and fun.

What didn’t work as well:

This book is the second one in the series, and there are frequent references to past events. Hallie apparently was in a coma due to an accident, and Maren had been kidnapped. However, the family isn’t too worried about the girls working undercover despite the girls’ past problems. The first book can be read first to answer any nagging questions, but they aren’t an issue as the plot moves along. It’s still strange to see the girls going undercover without much of an argument from the parents.

The Final Verdict:

Remember to look at your wristwatch as a reality check. The creative plot is more entertaining than I expected, as the author develops a well-conceived mystery. The motive behind the wayward dreams is unknown, but there are plenty of characters to suspect. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.