Gossamer

Gossamer
by Lois Lowry
MG fiction. 140 pp.
Houghton Mifflin. 2006.

I love Lois Lowry. I recommend her often. Gossamer is her latest release.

It's a simple book with a small plot inundated with profound meaning. This book is about dreams and where they come from. Littlest One is a young dream-giver assigned to work at a house with a lonely old woman and a dog. As a dream-giver, it is Littlest's job to touch objects to pull memories to then bestow upon humans (and pets) as dreams. Mentored by Thin Elderly, she perfects her gossamer touch and learns to bestow and create exquisite dreams. This is good, because the old woman has received word that she is to be a foster grandmother of a troubled boy, and Littlest must do everything she can to help protect this boy from the Sinisteeds who come to inflict nightmares on him.

Okay. So my summary sucks and does this really good book no justice. Lowry seamlessly slips from one character to the next. She has created characters so rich and vivid but with a minimal amount of detail. You will truly love Littlest One--her exuberance, her energy, her love.

Anyway, read this book. It is just really, really good.