The Daydreamer

My 11-year-old son and I listened to an audiotape of this book on a lengthy drive; we were rapt. My son, also a fantastical daydreamer, absolutely identified with the main character. Contrary to what some of the other reviewers reported, we found the stories extremely inventive and gripping. I found the final story about falling in love especially poignant and lovely. This book is written for children yet possesses good vocabulary and McEwan's incisive writing style. He does not dumb down the language nor the content for children. I recommend this book highly, and especially recommend the audiotape version--the narrator's reading is excellent.

Children have vivid imaginations, and the weird fantasies of a child are some of the most striking that a person can have. Ian McEwan's "Daydreamer" is one of those rare novels that kids and adults will enoy, though for very different reasons.Ten-year-old Peter Fortune is supposedly a "difficult" boy, even though he's well-behaved and kind. That's only because he's a quiet loner -- he doesn't mind being around other people, but he prefers to withdraw into his vivid daydreams. When he and his sister fight and he receives his own room, an evil doll leads the other dolls to attack him. When an elderly cat is bullied by a younger cat, Peter becomes the cat for a day. He rubs vanishing cream on his family. He switches bodies with Kenneth, a wobbly toddler who tries to eat everything. He encounters a mystery burglar who has been robbing houses on his street. And he dreams of being an adult.McEwan's books are usually much darker than "Daydreamer," but this book doesn't seem lightweight or dumbed-down. It's less like a novel than a series of seven interconnected short stories, each focusing on Peter and how reality shapes his daydreams. McEwan's writing is dreamy but realistic, and often very funny (such as Peter's reaction when he finds himself in Kenneth's baby body).There's nothing objectionable in this book, and McEwan tinges the few frightening images with humor (when the dolls pull off one of Peter's limbs, he yells, "Hey, give those back!"). Kids will probably enjoy reading about Peter's daydreams, especially if they imagine such vivid things themselves. And adults may like getting a glimpse back in time of when they were able to dream that way. Peter has the purity of a child, knowing that a cat has a soul and feeling sorry for a bully he reduced to tears.If you ever had weird, now-seeming-ridiculous fantasies (or if you still do -- not everybody stops!), then this book will bring a smile to your face.

peter fortune escapes reality in his fantastic daydreams. these accounts inspire adults to remind themselves of their own playfulness, and to "let go" more often.although peter's adventures are quite unbelievable they are acheivable and just as addictive as harry potter's world.this book is definitely for children AND adults. just as peter says, perhaps if more people daydreamed, there would be less wars.or maybe less road rage less office spats less divorces who knows? just read it.

Buy him books like this! My 11 year-old son loved this book so much, he insisted that I read it, too. I'm glad I did; it's a lovely collection of stories about the vivid fantasy life of a young boy. Like many children, he often wishes to be other than he is - an adult, a baby, a hero. Our favorite story was the one in which the boy becomes his cat. This is a wonderful, thought-provoking book for children and adults, perfect for reading together.

By Venyce, Grade 4, Washington DC You should read the Daydreamer by Ian McEwan !!! Many different kinds of people wold like this book. People who have big imaginations would like it, because they can daydream with Peter and become a cat or a baby or even a grown up. People who are hungry for adventure would like it, because Peter makes your parents vanish into thin air with vanishing cream and talks to dolls. Can you imagine that? People who can bring their imaginination far out would like this book because Peter becomes a baby and remembers what it was like. People who can be like a child with a big imagination would like this book. They would like it because they can become mountain climbers or defeat bullies with words. And everyone should read it because it was one of the greatest books in the world.