A parent would reach for this book when their child is struggling with frequent nightmares or a new fear of the dark. This gentle fantasy adventure follows a human girl named Jennifer, nicknamed Dragonfly, who leads a team of fairies on a quest to rebuild the magical Web of Dreams. When the Web is destroyed, nightmares begin to escape into the world. Jennifer and her friends must bravely face dangers on their journey to find the Dream Spider, the only one who can fix the Web. It's an empowering story for early chapter book readers that externalizes fear into a solvable problem, modeling bravery, teamwork, and perseverance. It provides a comforting narrative that assures children that bad dreams can be managed and overcome.
The core topic is fear, specifically related to nightmares. The book handles this metaphorically, turning the internal experience of bad dreams into an external, tangible problem (a broken Web) that can be fixed through action and teamwork. The approach is entirely secular and fantasy-based. The resolution is hopeful, empowering children by showing that fears can be confronted and managed.
Ideal Reader
This book is perfect for a 7 or 8-year-old who has recently started experiencing persistent nightmares and is feeling anxious about bedtime. It's also a great fit for a child who loves magical creature stories (especially fairies) but needs a gentle, accessible entry into the fantasy chapter book genre without overly complex world-building or intense conflict.
Parent Prep
The book can be read cold, as the concept is straightforward. However, a parent might want to preview chapters describing the "dangers" on the journey to ensure the level of peril is appropriate for their specific child. The antagonist, once revealed, may also be a point to preview if a child is particularly sensitive to villains. A parent might seek this book after their child says, "I'm scared to go to sleep," or wakes them up multiple times in a week crying from a bad dream. The trigger is the parent's desire to find a tool to help their child process and manage their nighttime fears in a non-clinical, story-based way.
Age Experience
A younger reader (age 7) will likely focus on the surface-level adventure: the magic, the fairy characters, and the quest to find the spider. An older reader (ages 8-9) is more likely to grasp the underlying metaphor of confronting your fears. They will appreciate Dragonfly's leadership and the theme of working together to solve a scary problem.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many books that simply offer comfort or reassurance about nightmares, this story provides an active, empowering framework. It externalizes the fear into a mission, giving the protagonist (and thus the reader) agency. The blend of a human child leading magical fairies on this quest makes the fantasy feel grounded and relatable.
Read plot summary
A human girl, Jennifer (known as Dragonfly to her fairy friends), is chosen to lead a quest. The magical Web of Dreams, which protects the world from nightmares, has been destroyed. Dragonfly and a team of fairies must undertake a dangerous journey to find the reclusive Dream Spider, the only creature who can reweave the web. The journey is perilous, and a threat closer than they imagine puts their mission in jeopardy.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Dragonfly is a human, but she is chosen to lead the fairy team. What qualities make her a good leader for this mission?
2
When Dragonfly and her friends felt scared on their journey, what did they do to keep going? What helps you feel brave when you are scared?
3
If you could have the Dream Spider weave a special dream just for you, what would it be about?
4
The story says that danger was 'much closer than they think.' Were you surprised by who was causing the trouble? Why do you think they did it?
