Fly with Me

By: Julie Hahn

Narrated by: Natalie Brianne

Eleven-year-old Jessa Newberry desperately wants to fit in with the popular girls, but on the first day of middle school, she makes a fool of herself in front of the whole class. On top of that, she’s having these strange dreams about Sidney, a friend she hasn’t seen since kindergarten. Together in her dreams, they fly around Dreamland, a magical world with ice cream trees and cotton candy clouds.

When Jessa meets Sidney in real life at a cancer fun run, she discovers that Sidney is having the same dream. When Jessa is diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma and her friends from school stop talking to her, Dreamland becomes the place she wants to be, and Sidney becomes the best friend she’s always needed.

But Dreamland is in danger. The ice cream trees are melting, the candy has gone rotten, and children are disappearing. Even Sidney has gone missing. Can Jessa save both her friend and the haven she has grown to love?

©2021 Immortal Works (P)2023 Immortal Works

Absorbing Blend of Realism and Fantasy

This was my first experience with Julie Hahn's work, and it was very moving. The story was a captivating blend of reality and fantasy. The protagonist was an eleven-year-old girl diagnosed with cancer, who could go to a magical place in her sleep where the disease had no impact. The story had moments of humor, sadness, and pain. It emphasized the importance of family and friends as one faces the obstacles brought on by illness. I recommend this story to others. Natalie Brianne's narration was fine. She started out a little bit wooden but as she became more wrapped up in the story, her performance improved. There were long pauses at the end of each chapter. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

This MG book will tug your heartstrings

Emotion-filled story about two girls with cancer who are not only fighting for their lives but for the survival of Dreamland, a magical sleep world for sick children. Peter Pan meets The Fault in Our Stars for children.