Another Ross Welford classic. A story of friendship, acceptance, siblings, love, lies and honesty. This book has you connecting with the characters and pulled along into their adventures and problems. The story whips you along at pace and refuses to let you put it down.

Another compelling family-and-friends story: about controlling your dreams.

4.5 stars

Welford comes up with winner after winner - ideas that children themselves will identify with as desires, wishes or questions. Time travel, invisibility, and now controlling dreams.

A pair of brothers give a lifelike sibling relationship to the story. Malky is the elder, talked into a minor crime by a school bully, and unexpectedly finding himself with a Dreaminator device. Seb is the younger of the two, and pretty keen to try out the 'dream control' object to enjoy the caveman dream of his favourite book.

Who wouldn't want to be able to control their dreams?! It's a fantastic idea. Sadly, because Malky lets Seb get his way, most of what we see is the same dream setting - I would have loved to see Welford experiment and explore the concept more to show us a greater range of settings and possibilities before continuing with the plot. Oh well.

The plot does become rather intense quite quickly. Seb cannot wake up from their shared dream - what can Malky do to bring his (annoying) little brother back into consciousness?

There are other issues woven in expertly - not only a bully, but a protagonist who isn't the typical 'hero' character - Malky is more a grey-area boy, who gives in to pressure, who doesn't come across as a good friend, who has his own demons he's afraid to face.

We meet a bit of a young '(manic) dream pixie' and her grandmother who conveniently befriend Malky and have insight into his dream situation, as well as an aged former 'someone' who has his own Dreaminator story.

A lot of threads do come together, and Welford does deliver on the dream front ultimately in some senses, though I did feel it followed a path I expected and didn't add what I felt was hinted at and potentially new and exciting.

It's touching, exciting, funny, and very enjoyable to watch Malky's adventures with a new friend in tow, and some in-jokes that readers are 'in on', but the characters aren't.

A cut above most books for the target market, full of imagination and heart.

For ages 9-12.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

When We Got Lost in Dreamland is a captivating and imaginative adventure which hooked me in right from the beginning.

When 12 year old Malky and his little brother Seb end up in possession of two 'Dreaminators' (remarkable contraptions that allow you to control your dreams) they can't wait to go to bed and have the adventures they have always dreamed of. However, things soon start to go wrong - dreams become nightmares, reality becomes blurred and Seb becomes lost in Dreamland. Can Malky overcome his fears and save his little brother before time runs out?

The well crafted plot is pacy and full of humour, excitement and several tender moments. All the characters are well-developed and convincing. Malky's flawed character was very endearing and I enjoyed how his relationships with the other characters developed throughout.

This was the first Ross Welford book I've read but it won't be the last as I have now got several others lined up; I don't know what has taken me so long!

Having read many of Ross Welford’s books, I knew I was in for a treat and this didn’t disappoint. Lost in Dreamland slips seamlessly through different periods in time to tell a riveting story involving brothers Seb and Malky.
It gives a whole new meaning to the dreams we have and, even as an adult, gets you thinking; Could they really be real?

What a remarkable story this is, one that has stayed in my thoughts after reading.
Malky is struggling following the break up of his parents relationship. He seems to be acting out and lacking real friendship.
Following a dare gone wrong, he takes ownership of a device called the 'dreaminator', which allows you to take control of your dreams.
As you might anticipate, this doesn't exactly go to plan and arrange things happen. I don't want to give any spoilers, but events spiral and as a result we meet a colourful array of characters who have an impact on Malky.
This is the first Ross Welford novel I've read and I was really impressed. I will be adding more to my book pile!

Imagine having the ability to control your dreams: to step inside your favourite books, to share your greatest adventures and to possess powers that defy the laws of nature.

Twelve-year-old Malky and his annoying younger brother have got their hands on a Dreaminator, a tool that helps you turn your wildest dreams into a reality. Yet the boys’s adventures take a nightmarish turn when they lose control. Seb is in a coma and it seems like nothing, or no one, will be able to wake him.

The latest offering from Ross Welford is an unpredictable and touching tale of friendship, brotherhood and the power of the unconscious mind. It features a band of likeable characters and tells an utterly unbelievable story, made believable by the power of Ross’s writing. It’s inventive, funny and has a lot of heart.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.