
The Dream Keeper
A magical bedtime story of courage, kindness and adventure, for ages 3-6
Anna Walker(Author)
Walker Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 7. May 2026
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-1-5295-2068-2 (ISBN)
Description
Beyond the city and over the sea is a forest of dreams. At the edge of the forest lives a turtle - the Dream Keeper...
In a small boat, the turtle sets off on a journey to deliver dreams in the nearby city. Meanwhile, a young girl, scared in the night by the shadows in her room, finds comfort in her toys ... but cannot sleep.
As the two stories unfold side by side, the young girl and the intrepid turtle must each harness their courage and overcome their fears as their worlds collide in the most wonderful, magical way.
"Soothing and ethereal. Captures the magic of the girl's imagination." Foreword Review (starred review)
"A world worth lingering in." Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
- Brimming with luminous and dreamlike scenes and glowing imagery.
- Combines real-world feelings with magical fantasy.
- A reassuring bedtime story for children who are afraid of the dark.
- Explores themes of courage, self-confidence and hope.
In a small boat, the turtle sets off on a journey to deliver dreams in the nearby city. Meanwhile, a young girl, scared in the night by the shadows in her room, finds comfort in her toys ... but cannot sleep.
As the two stories unfold side by side, the young girl and the intrepid turtle must each harness their courage and overcome their fears as their worlds collide in the most wonderful, magical way.
"Soothing and ethereal. Captures the magic of the girl's imagination." Foreword Review (starred review)
"A world worth lingering in." Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
- Brimming with luminous and dreamlike scenes and glowing imagery.
- Combines real-world feelings with magical fantasy.
- A reassuring bedtime story for children who are afraid of the dark.
- Explores themes of courage, self-confidence and hope.
Reviews / Votes
The illustrations are honestly beautiful, very dreamy and calming. Some pages don't have any words at all, which the kids actually loved. We took our time with those pages, just looking, talking, and making up our own thoughts about what was happening. It sparked a little chat about dreams, the good ones and the scary ones. * vanesajosevski.author via instagram * With Anna Walker's rich, intricate illustrations, this is a book to return to again and again, and a reminder that picture books are often a child's first experience of art. * lovefourreading via instagram * The idea of a Dream Keeper is in itself, beautiful, compelling and reassuring. In Walker's hands it becomes a masterwork. The images are literally breathtaking with layers of colour, meaning and texture - all meticulously crafted in traditional media to combine and become a story for the ages - and for all ages. the overall message of the story is clear, strong and firm: that it's possible to overcome fear. That in this world, there is always light, and that together we can look after each other. The Dream Keeper is stunningly beautiful and beautifully stunning. It offers reassurance and hope. I am in love! * Kids Book Review *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 3 to 7 years
Dimensions
Height: 253 mm
Width: 308 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
504 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5295-2068-2 (9781529520682)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Anna Walker is an illustrator and author of picture books including Florette, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, A Life Song written by Jane Goodwin and Mr Huff, shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards and winner of the CBCA book of the year Early Childhood. Using traditional mediums, Anna creates stories inspired by the quiet and sometimes joyful details of life. The Dream Keeper is her first Walker book. She lives in Melbourne. Find her online at annawalker.com.au and on Instagram as @_annawalker_.