Abadazad: The Dream Thief - Book #2 [Hardcover]

J.M. DeMatteis (Author), Mike Ploog (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Abadazad

Kate needs all the help she can get when she encounters the Lanky Man.  He's mean and heartless and he wants to steal children's dreams.  Everyone seems to be against her--which only makes her more determined to find her brother.  And Matt is getting closer--isn't he?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7–Abadazad is a magical graphic novel that Kate, 14, and her younger brother, Matt, had been reading about in old books. While under Kate's care five years earlier, he was kidnapped, and she is still having trouble dealing with the loss. Through some sort of magic, she is transported to the land of Abadazad, where her brother is, and she meets the characters from the books as she starts her quest to rescue him. Here the first book ends, and not much is resolved or explained. The format is a challenge because pages from the original stories are interspersed with Kate's diary, which then jumps into graphic-novel format that looks anime-ish. The text lacks pagination or chapter breaks and has a tiny font. The language of Kate's diary is colloquial, with asides in parentheses, and the pages of the old books begin and end in the middle of sentences. Dream Thief follows the same format; the pieces don't work any better together, and the plot is not clear. Although Kate has several adventures and meets creepy and creative characters, she does not find her brother, except as a vision in a pearl necklace, held captive in a pod of green goo. While graphic-novel fans might pick these books up, there is too much narrative text between the cartoons to hold their interest, and all but the most stalwart readers might decide that the format is just too confusing.–Sharon R. Pearce, Longfellow Elementary School, Oak Park, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Mike Ploog has had a wide and varied career. After spending ten years in the Marine Corps, he honed his craft as the assistant to the late Will Eisner at PS magazine. Ploog began drawing for Marvel, where was involved in many of their best-known titles, and where he created the cult favorite Man-Thing. He was a storyboard artist on the original Scooby Doo; on The Planet of the Apes; The Dark Crystal; Labyrinth; Shrek; and many other major motion pictures. Mike Ploog lives with his family in Devonshire, England.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (June 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423100646
• ISBN-13: 978-1423100645
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing!, June 7, 2009

By 

J. Sutton (Finger Lakes, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Abadazad #2: Dream Thief, The (Hardcover)

I bought this for my 8 year old son and he has already read it five times! He says: It's mysterious and adventurous and that's the type I like!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The snarky, evil looking, purple top hatted, six armed guy on the cover didn't scare me off, June 5, 2006

By 

bookczuk (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abadazad: The Dream Thief - Book #2 (Hardcover)

This book came to my attention (along with the first in the series) bwo my elder brother.

"Remember him?" he asked.

I looked down and saw the cover of The Dream Thief, which features a rather snarky, evil looking purple top hatted, goatee-ed, red-eyed, red beak nosed, yellow teethed, six armed, Fagin type nasty male type figure.

"Ummmm....no...." (It was only the truth. I know no one who wears a purple top hat.)

Then I noticed the Author. Oh! I don't know him as J.M., but by another name. I met him eons ago in India. Since then, we've each headed different paths, and his has been really interesting. I remember him as having a most engaging grin, and dark hair. He's still got the grin, and has acquired a 11 or 12 year old daughter, Kate. Elder Brother tells me that this series, which started as comic books, originated because he wanted to do something that young Kate could read. Hence Abadazad was born. I wish everyone I haven't seen in thirty years could come up with such a great concept.

Enough about the background. The book is grand. Great format, going between the old "original" books, Kate's enchanted diary and the world of Abadazad. Street wise Kate, with more cynicism than any child should have to have, finds herself off to another world to find her lost little brother. Vibrant colors, great characterizations and the promise of sequels. What could be bad?


I finished the first book and began to read The Dream Thief almost immediately. The books aren't long, so it didn't take too much time from the pile of books I have already going. This book is grand, even better than the first. Great format continues, and continues to delight me. Makes me itch to read the "original" stories. Heh.

And how many graphic novels do you read, where you find yourself thinking you want to make a note for a quote to use later in life? There is a real core of teaching in this book-- not heavy handed morality or beat your face in with it spirituality, but honest observations that can be great guideposts for anyone, child or adult, in their journey through life. I love the names of the different characters and "species" that populate the story, and the way that books play such an important part. The guidance of Uncle Waterlogged and Pfoughh the Wubbtale, the companionship of Wix...the idea of finding your own personal magic...

I'm hooked. Can you tell?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME, June 26, 2006

By 

Becca (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abadazad: The Dream Thief - Book #2 (Hardcover)

People out there who have read the first book of the abadazad series, i hope you agree with me saying that these books are totally amazing and awesome! Anyone who is looking for a good read, i assure you, this is it!!! : )