Dreamers by Yuyi Morales Activities and Comprehension Questions

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales promotes themes of immigration adaptability, courage, and hope. Read on to find activities and discussion questions.

In Dreamers, Yuyi Morales finds her voice in a library after becoming an immigrant in America. The book gives you the opportunity to promote:

having the courage to create positive change
libraries as places filled with opportunities
determination and perseverance
hope and resilience
finding your voice
personal stories

You can also use the book to teach:

Scroll down for Dreamers activities, discussion questions and videos.

Dreamers Summary

In 1994, the author and illustrator, Yuyi Morales, left her home in Xalapa, Mexico. She came to the US with her young son, Kelly. They left behind nearly all their belongings and crossed “bridge to the other side” to become immigrants.

Yuyi spoke no English and struggled to adapt to the ways of this new country. She made many “mistakes” as she and her son adapted to a new way of life.

Their transition was helped when Yuyi discovered a local library. She had never seen such a place and was at first, suspicious. As she explore what the library had to offer she learned English and found her own voice. The library became a home and a place of hope. Through her discovery of literature, she realized that storytelling was part of her and inspired her to become an author and illustrator.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Illustrator: Yuyi Morales
Publisher: Neal Porter Books
ISBN: 9780823440559

Take a look inside

Yuyi Morales Official Website

Related Books

The Day Saida Arrived by Susana Gómez Redondo
Coming to England: An Inspiring True Story Celebrating the Windrush Generation by Floella Benjamin
Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora
My Name Is Yoon by My Name Is Yoon
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Denise
Nour's Secret Library by Wafa' Tarnowska

Dreamers Activities & Resources

I have created literacy graphic organizers for Dreamers. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age. They include activities for:

Author’s Purpose
Cause & Effect
Character Traits and Analysis
Comprehension Questions and Writing Prompts
Inferring and Predicting
Main Idea and Theme
Making Connections
Point of View
Problem and Solution
Retelling, Sequencing and Summarizing

*Click on these links to discover book recommendations on these topics.

External Dreamers Activities & Links

Holiday House: Dreamers Educator’s Guide
Holiday House: Dreamers Event Kit
Learning to Give: Literature Guide
Publishers Weekly: In Conversation: Yuyi Morales and Neal Porter
Reading is Resistance: Dreamers Reading Guide
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast: The Making of Dreamers: Yuyi Morales’ Photo Essay

FREE Dreamers Graphic Organizers

Would you like free graphic organisers for Dreamers?

I have a freebie that is part of a larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything!

Fill in the form below to get access to the FREE pack. Click on the image to see the full pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Dreamers Read-Aloud Questions

Read aloud sessions are a wonderful way for children to understand the connection between written text and spoken language. You can model reading habits and strategies, reading fluency, tone and eye contact. You can also introduce different genres, authors and illustrators.

What do you think Yuyi Morales wants us to learn
from reading Dreamers? What did you learn from reading Dreamers?
Why did Yuyi Morales includes Spanish words in the book?
Describe the problem faced by the main character and how she solved it.
How does Yuyi Morales make it clear she is resilient?
Why do you think this book is called ‘Dreamers’? Now you have read the book, do you think it is a good title? Why or why not?
How did the library books help Yuyi settle into her new home?
What have books helped you do?
What do you think it is like to move from your home to an unfamiliar place?
Why was the library a special place for the woman? What’s the evidence?
What does it mean to “make our voices heard”? How do you make your voice heard?

You can find a full set of discussion cards in the Dreamers Literacy Bundle or as a separate pack.

Dreamers Book Videos

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