One of the most important themes in Room to Dream is perseverance in the face of adversity. Mia must learn exhibit perseverance not only to achieve her dream of being a published again but also to restore the friendships that change along the way. There are many roadblocks to Mia reaching her goals, including discrimination; her youth, which causes people to underestimate her; and the looming potential loss of her home in the process of it all. However, with determination and encouragement from her friends, Mia overcomes these roadblocks and becomes a better person for it.

Mia gets by with the help of her friends. She has an amazing community who is invested in her and her dreams. The first person she shows her rejection letters to is Hank. When she confesses what has been weighing on her, namely a year’s worth of rejections, Hank praises her hard work rather than centering her failure:

Listen, you are doing something amazing. Just be keeping at it, continuing to send your work out there. That’s incredible, you know that? Most kids your age would have quit by the third letter but you—you persevered (22).