Representation: Jewish characters
Trigger warnings: Death and murder of people, military violence and war themes, the Holocaust, World War Two, fire
Score: Seven points out of ten.
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I saw Courage to Dream as a new library arrival so after a while I picked this one up. When I glanced the novel, it wasn't quite a novel. Instead, it was a collection of five stories based on traditional folklore centering around a theme of resistance, with four of them being about the Holocaust. When I read and finished Courage to Dream, it was compelling.

The first narrative was about some characters discovering a window in their house that is only visible to them, but from the outside it only looks like part of the wall. The window's nature remains undisclosed until some soldiers busted into the house, revealing it to be a portal to another world. The second one is about Baba Yaga and the house with chicken legs, the third concerns a mythical golem and the fourth concerns the stick Moses used. However, the fifth one was the most intriguing--it revolves around a utopian alternate reality or the best timeline where World War Two ended early, 9/11 never happened and everything changed for the better there. The five narratives in Courage to Dream are unrelated save for the recurring theme and all of them starring Jewish characters. The notes after each section were an appreciated touch. ( )

Genre(s): Graphic novel, short stories, historical fiction, speculative fiction, alternate realities, MG fiction,

First sentence of "He Opens a Window": Gretchen, No!

Premise/plot: There are five thematically-linked stories told in graphic novel format. The approach isn't strictly historical, each story has a speculative twist [science fiction, fantasy]. It definitely has a Twilight Zone feel. I don't mean it in a glib way. While some might view Twilight Zone as just being entertainment and spooky fun, there are some thought-provoking episodes. The stories in Courage to Dream ARE thought-provoking. They engage you on a what-if or what-might-have-been level.

The five stories are "He Opens a Window," "Legend Speaks of a Superhero...," "Spirits of Resistance," "Exodus," and "The Untold."

My thoughts: As I mentioned above, this one very much embraces the twisty-turns of speculative fiction.

Will this one be for every reader? Probably not. It isn't historically "true" or "accurate" enough to read to really learn the realities [of the horrors] of the Holocaust. It is very much a serious, sobering sci-fi twist to our reality.

I found all five stories memorable and haunting. I don't know that I could pick a true favorite of the bunch. "Exodus" might stand out a little more than the others. My least favorite story is probably "Spirits of Resistance" (but I could see it being someone's favorite.)

I do think it can be enjoyed by readers middle grade on up. I found it enjoyable as an adult. ( )

Independent Reading Level: Grades 2nd +
Awards: Author has won over 20 awards for his books. However, this book has not won any rewards.