Ivan Rudenko is the youngest son of a family living in a small town in Ukraine telling his story during a time under Polish martial law just as the onset of World War II would bring Russian conflict into the area, along with the rise of German Nazism. As the war continues, Ivan’s family attempts to head west, but faces more struggles and find sympathetic assistance, even as Ivan’s older brother is taken from the family and conscripted to fight for an army the family has no belief in. Ivan’s father works diligently to keep his family safe and survive the war to reach a dream of freedom. This well-written story from a Ukrainian perspective during a major conflict in history delves into tragedy and hope in a culture facing tyranny and prejudice from multiple neighboring cultures. Even though the novel was published in 2020, it is amazing that its historical perspective of Ukrainian culture under conflict actually provides a better understanding of the current Russian-Ukrainian war being experienced now. ( )

Galicia, 1939. Confusion and terror reigns.
Constant battles between the various occupiers of Ukraine keep the people of Lviv unnerved. One young boy from nearby Halych watches the turmoil and tries to understand. He wants to hold onto his future, and a future for his family, and country.

A story never told before, about the plight of Ukrainians from a child's perspective. A story of strength gained not by fighting a war, but by uniting as a people and remaining respectful of culture, religion, and freedom.

Dreamer is a story about a Ukrainian boy, Ivan Rudenko, during WWII. His unique perspective explores the adversity that he and his family face from all directions. Overtaken by the Polish, the Russians, and then the Germans, the family helped victims and counseled their neighbors. But shortly after the Nazi occupation, they find there's no more hope for freedom. Unable to help their Jewish neighbors any longer from oppressors, they flee toward their unknown future.

Living in the middle of wartime chaos, the family faces harsh realities and chooses to hope for a better future despite the odds.

Ivan meets new friends along their journey through Slovakia and then the Bohemian Black Forest, people with their own stories. Finding hope in Regensburg, the family dreams of becoming American citizens and finding a home at last. They bear witness to the struggles of the war aftermath, compiled with the anxiety of waiting their turn to emigrate.

This is a story about keeping the dream of a free Ukraine alive and one boy's search for a home. ( )