A review by jnishi
Dream, Annie, Dream by Waka T. Brown

5.0

If I could give this more than 5 stars I would because I finally got to see Middle Grade me represented in a book. From the age of 11-20 I was obsessed with musicals and theatre like Annie (the main character in this book) I even convinced my frugal-find-a-good-deal Japanese-Canadian (I'm biracial--half Japanese half Euro-Canadian) family that acting classes, headshots, auditions, and theatre school was worth the money, I was going to be a star! But just like how Annie and her family were faced with micro-agressions and the lack of diversity on the screen and stage, I was also faced with the blunt realities of the profession I was trying to get into. There were very few stories with Asian actors in it on stage and on screen, My biracial ethnicity confused people, and realistically I would be constantly cast as a child (I'm very short) or as the funny side kick. So I left and became a teacher determined to have each child have their voices heard and their stories told. Dream Annie Dream is a necessary commentary on the importance of representation of POC stories and creative works and how small and insignificant it makes someone feel when they cannot find themselves in the creative and pop-cultural makeup of their world. Absolutely fantastic read.