Dream Pictures

Carrie Lynn Lyons
Mundania Press (2006)
ISBN 1594262349
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (9/06)

 “Dream Pictures” is Carrie Lynn Lyons’ debut book and the first of a trilogy.  It is very well written and is full of suspense and terror but also brings out the kid part of you that still loves the carnival.  I found myself so caught in the carnival description that I got dizzy at the Tilt-a-Whirl and hungry at the concessions for candy apples and other carnival favorites.   

The book catches you from the beginning when four-year old Jaime Weston witnesses her parent’s brutal murder by her Uncle Carl.  He is also intent on killing her but is interrupted by two strangers driving up.  Before her father dies, he begs the strangers to protect Jaime from the murderers.  Leon and Solomon Cavanaugh take this request very seriously and take immediate steps to protect Jaime.  She becomes Leon’s niece, Jacey Lynn Travis and they hide her deep in the carnival world to protect her from her uncle.  

Leon and Solomon own the carnival but were there originally because they were part of the Oddities show.  Through this, Lyons gives us a peek at the closed life of the carnival and the challenges that people with disabilities face.  Theirs is often the lonely life of an outcast where the first acceptance they find is with their carnival family.  Outsiders are not welcome in this world and it becomes the perfect place to hide a little girl in danger.  Jacey has no preconceived prejudices about people and the carnies soon fall completely in love with her.      

As the danger mounts, it becomes clear to Leon and Solomon that there is a lot more to this girl than first meets the eye.  Jacey is a seer who warns them about things that are going to happen.  Her gift saves lives, helps the carnival doctor rediscover love and allows her to know what her uncle is up to.  It turns out the gift is a family trait and soon she is fighting off psychic attacks by her uncle.  Will Leon and Solomon be able to stop Carl before he destroys Jacey?  Only Jacey knows the answer to that question. 

It was a great book to read and I am looking forward to finding out what adventures are in store for Jacey in the upcoming books.

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