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A Magical World
Emily Swan and the Dream Pillow follows an eleven-year-old girl who is uprooted from her tech-filled suburban life and dropped into a quiet, unplugged farmhouse in rural Kansas. What was the inspiration for the story?
I have been concerned with children’s increased use of cell phone texting etc., and its negative effect on them. I wanted to write a story that focused on the importance of the imagination, how it can open up a magical world, and that a measure of silence is needed for us to listen to it.
In many contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
Yes. I am a believer in the importance of dreams and the imagination.
The writing in your story is very artful and creative. Was it a conscious effort to create a story in this fashion, or is this style of writing reflective of your writing style in general?
It is. I like to blend a measure of fantasy with reality and show how they are in truth present at all times.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
I would like it to be, but at the moment, I am focused on getting this one up and running.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Emily is miserable in their new home, plopped down in the middle of nothing but wheat fields, far away from her former city life and friends. There’s no internet and they don’t even have a television or a phone!
But one night Emily’s world changes when a star zooms out of the sky and into her room, appearing as a Star Lady. She tells Emily that even though she’s unhappy, a magical world lives inside her — she just doesn’t know how to find it. The Star Lady says she can help and gives Emily a Dream Pillow to use so they can stay in touch through dreams.
When Emily decides to take a chance and use the Dream Pillow, her world opens up. Magical characters appear and guide her on an adventure of self-discovery. After Emily discovers a Swan Feather pen, she’s transformed from Emily Webster, a normal girl, into Emily Swan, a super-hero of words.
Emily Swan and the Dream PIllow
Emily Swan and the Dream Pillow is a whimsical and heartfelt journey that follows eleven-year-old Emily as she’s uprooted from her tech-filled suburban life and dropped into a quiet, unplugged farmhouse in rural Kansas. What starts as a family’s quest for simplicity quickly unfolds into a magical exploration of dreams, self-discovery, and imagination. Emily, struggling with loneliness and loss of connection, receives an enchanted “Dream Pillow” from a cosmic being known as the Star Lady, launching her into a series of dream-fueled adventures that blur the lines between the waking world and the unseen mysteries of the soul.
I found myself genuinely touched by how Peers captures the inner life of a child grappling with change. The writing is gentle, sometimes whimsical, and peppered with charm, without ever feeling overly sweet. The way Emily’s discontent gradually gives way to wonder felt real. Her skepticism, frustration, and loneliness are treated with such honesty that I couldn’t help but root for her. The dream sequences are vivid and strange in the best way—like stepping into a lucid dream you didn’t know you needed. Some of the metaphors are beautifully subtle (a barn full of memories, a bird bearing secrets, a pillow woven from stars).
There were moments where descriptions or exposition went a little long, and the plot risked getting lost in its own stardust. Still, the emotional core is strong. I appreciated that the magic wasn’t flashy—it was internal, quiet, the kind of magic that speaks to kids (and adults) who lie awake at night wondering if they matter. The messages about screen time, listening to your spirit, and reconnecting with nature and imagination are powerful, though at times delivered a bit too directly.
Emily Swan and the Dream Pillow made me feel a kind of nostalgic hope. It reminded me of being a kid and wondering if the stars were looking back at me. This book would be perfect for middle-grade readers who love a touch of the surreal, dreamers who feel a little out of place, or anyone wanting to unplug and remember what it feels like to sit in silence and really listen.
Pages: 190 | ASIN : B0DTX956MX
LITERARY TITAN 