From the time he is a young boy, Neftalí hears the call of a mysterious voice. Even when the neighborhood children taunt him, and when his harsh, authoritarian father ridicules him, and when he doubts himself, Neftalí knows he cannot ignore the call. Under the canopy of the lush rain forest, into the fearsome sea, and through the persistent Chilean rain, he listens and he follows. . . Combining elements of magical realism with biography, poetry, literary fiction, and sensorial, transporting illustrations, Pam Muñoz Ryan and Peter Sís take readers on a rare journey of the heart and imagination.
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“Narrator Tony Chiroldes is grand. He clearly differentiates Neftali and his older brother, nasty father, dear little sister, and loving stepmother. The book is poetically written, and Chiroldes’ spirited, sympathetic reading makes listening to it even more pleasurable than merely reading it. In closing, Ryan shares how she came to write this unique biography about a poet whose work she’s loved for a lifetime.”
— AudioFile
“[The Dreamer] is an immaculately crafted and inspiring piece of magical realism.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“This book has all the feel of a classic, elegant and measured, but deeply rewarding and eminently readable. Ryan includes a small collection of Neruda’s poetry and a thoughtful endnote that delves into how she found the seeds for the story and sketches Neruda’s subsequent life and legacy.”
— Booklist“Chiroldes perfectly embraces the story, reading with sensitivity and, at times, poetic sound effects. His distinctive diction and calm demeanor will hold the attention of young people mature enough to be interested in the life of this remarkable man.”
— School Library JournalBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Pam Muñoz Ryan is the recipient of the NEA’s Human and Civil Rights Award and the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award for multicultural literature. She has written more than thirty books which have garnered, among countless accolades, the Pura Belpré Medal, the Jane Addams Award, and the Schneider Family Award. She lives near San Diego.
Tony Chiroldes is one of New York City’s busiest voice-over performers. He was an original Broadway cast member of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical In the Heights, and has appeared in other productions such as The Capeman, Sympathy Jones, Senor Discretion Himself, and more. Tony has voiced hundreds of English and Spanish commercials and many audiobooks, including The Dreamer, for which he won an Earphone Award from AudioFile.