Xander and the Dream Thief (Momotaro #2) by Margaret Dilloway, illustrated by Choong Yoon.
Disney Hyperion, New York, 2017.
MG fantasy, 330 pages.
Lexile: not leveled
AR Level: 4.1 (worth 10.0 points) .
NOTE: This review will contain spoilers for the previous book in the series.
After his surprising victory, Xander is now fully the Momotaro. Having magic powers is great and all, but also means oni attack constantly, his mother had to stay away from him, he’s got a new foster sibling, and has so many nightmares he can’t sleep. So Obachan gives him a baku charm, warning to only use it on the worst nightmares lest the creature take all his dreams.
I enjoy stories of antiheroes or deeply flawed heroes or heroes who don’t want the power. Xander is definitely that in this book, but it’s entirely reasonable that a 12 year old who just inherited unlimited magical power (and is much better at using it than his father) might have that go to his head. Of course, oni are constantly testing him and watching for these kinds of slip-ups.
Luckily, the reckless energy and exuberant imagination that got him into this might also help him get out – with assistance from friends old and new, and if he can manage to get his dreams back. I’m not sure the target audience will be as interested in reading about a not-so-heroic kid as I am, but it’s refreshing when the legendary chosen one is all too human (and a person of color besides).
Dilloway’s second novel again follows a Riordan-ish plot, but full of references to Japanese mythology and culture. Kintaro, Fudo-Myoo, Daruma, and Kaguya-hime are among the featured characters. He also learns/remembers a tiny but crucial bit about his Irish heritage.
I’ve used the foster care tag because Jinx has a fictive kinship relationship with Xander’s family. Her mother was apparently friends with his, and enough threads remain that Jinx could have additional backstory should there ever be a third volume.
Xander’s mother and her reasons for being away so long felt weaker, yet that representation of a distant mother returning, and parents expecting to be a family again with someone a child barely knows, is crucial. Most books about a long-lost parent returning feature single mothers with a father being found, but there are plenty of single fathers or long-distance mothers too!
As with the previous book and a general complaint about Disney paperbacks, the physical condition of this book is extremely poor. I only read it twice and was very cautious and the spine was still cracking, covers wore quickly, and the binding glue falling apart. With this particular book, there also were some noticeable editing errors.
Perhaps Dilloway is a victim of bad timing (the newer Rick Riordan Presents imprint gets much more promotion) but I’m disappointed in both the physical book, and the perceived lack of care that Disney took on the editing and promotion. The Dragon quartet by Laurence Yep is considerably older and I had to get most used, yet all were in better condition than these.
Thankfully, the illustrations are still valuable additions to the book. Yoon especially shines when depicting magical creatures. The full-page black and white illustrations are similarly styled to the cover, and Yoon takes few artistic liberties away from the text.
The banter between Xander and his friends also helps to break up the more serious lessons and teaching moments about Japanese culture. Much like Buzz from the Valhalla books, Xander’s extreme avoidance of anything his mythology professor father wanted to impart allows his more knowledgeable female friend to also fill in the gaps for the reader.
As they meet different characters, very mild flirtation ensues, and the romance between Xander’s parents is also rekindled enough to bother him. The loss of dreams reads rather like depression although not that term is not used. He’s also warned that going too long without any dreams, wishes, or goals will lead to death. A flash flood imperils the children, will o’wisp creatures lure them, one is bitten by a scorpion-like creature, there’s a giant spider, cliffs are jumped off, and there’s difficult training. Some of the oni and even the allies they encounter are scary, but this volume isn’t particularly perilous.
I respect authors like Dilloway and others who published diverse middle grade fantasy before it became popular. Hopefully Disney will see fit to reissue these books. The series really needs just one more volume for exploration of Xander’s dual heritage, learning what the payment will be for his powers, and a final showdown with Ozuno the oni king. Still, this book amps up enough in the final fourth that it could suffice as a series ender.
Recommended.
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