Some dreams come at a cost, and for Samira’s family, that cost was almost everything. The Dream House follows Samira, her parents, and their journey to build a vacation home in her father’s childhood village. At first, it’s all excitement—fresh mountain air, family traditions, and the dream of a home away from the city. But things take a turn when an unreliable builder, Akam, enters the picture. With each promise he makes, their dream house starts feeling more like a nightmare. Money disappears, deadlines pass, and eventually, reality sets in, Akam was never planning to build their home. Yet, in the face of betrayal, the kindness of the village community helps them rebuild not just their house, but their faith in people.

From the start, I was drawn in by the warm, almost nostalgic way the author describes the family’s love for the mountain village. Samira’s excitement about wading in the stream, buying new shoes, and exploring the alleys made me feel like I was right there with her. But what really hit home was how fast excitement turned to disappointment. The moment Akam convinced Samira’s father that everything would be “easy and cheap,” I could feel the red flags waving. Yet, her father remained hopeful, and that blind optimism felt painfully real. The writing captures that gut-wrenching mix of excitement and dread the kind you get when something seems too good to be true, but you don’t want to believe it.

The emotional weight of the story really hits when the family arrives at the construction site, expecting a nearly finished home, only to find barely more than a foundation. Samira’s father is so full of dreams and plans, he just sits down on a sack of cement, completely devastated. That moment stuck with me. It’s not just about money lost; it’s about trust broken, about realizing you’ve been fooled. But what I loved about this book is that it doesn’t wallow in that loss. Instead, it pivots. When the villagers step in to help, there’s this quiet, powerful shift from despair to resilience. The idea that kindness and community can rebuild what was lost is one of the strongest themes, and it gave me a sense of hope.

I also appreciated how the book showed that sometimes, what we end up with is better than what we originally wanted. Samira’s family had to let go of their “luxury villa” dream, but in the end, they got something more meaningful, a real home, built with love and honesty. And the detail about the gate, stolen by the scammer but later recovered and placed at their new house? That was the perfect way to show that even in loss, some things can be restored.

The Dream House is a touching and beautifully written story about dreams, trust, and the people who show up when things go wrong. Kids will connect with Samira’s emotions, while adults will see deeper messages about life’s ups and downs. It’s perfect for families who enjoy heartfelt stories with a strong moral core, and for anyone who’s ever faced a setback but found a way forward.

Pages: 48 | ISBN : 9528200850