hApPy hUmp dAy, friends!
Trying to get ahead a little on my blog posts for this “31 Days of Writing” gig! Typing this up as I eat lunch in the library where I am subbing. I wish I could just dash off a few lines or even paragraphs, real quick. But I love these books that I am reviewing and I want to do them justice. I want to entice you guys to read them, too. So I agonize over whether I am representing them fairly!
Anyway, at this rate my lunch break will be over and I will still be apologizing for less-than-passionate book reviews. Ha!
Remember I told you that I used to host a reading TV show for my school district? It was called “Come Read With Me” and ran for ten years in far west Texas, southeast New Mexico and even Juarez, Mexico. I did over 100 episodes. The reason I am telling you this is because today’s fractured fairy tale was one of the books I featured on my show. It was also on the 1998-1999 Master List for the Texas Bluebonnet Award.
So, what is this fabulous book of which I speak?
Fanny’s Dream written by Caralyn Buehner and illustrated by her husband, Mark Buehner. I might just be a little biased about this book because I love fairy tales so much. Yeah, but I don’t really think so. It’s just a great book.
Like all good fairy tales, this book begins “Once upon a time…” and then continues… “in a wild Wyoming town there lived a sturdy girl named Fanny Agnes. She worked from sunup to sundown on her daddy’s farm, but she had her dreams.” [p. 1] I like this girl! And she was going to marry a prince, (yeah, me too). Ambitious, that Fanny Agnes.
She dreamed of a tall, handsome someone sweeping her off her feet…dressing her in silks and allowing her to be a lady of leisure for the rest of her life (sign me up!). And if that certain someone wasn’t royalty, then maybe he could at least be the mayor’s son.
When Fanny hears that the major is indeed throwing a grand ball, she figures this is her chance to meet Mr. Right. At the hat shop, she shares her exciting plans of attending the ball, meeting a prince and living happily ever after with her friends. They respond to her news with laughter, adding “You’re not beautiful, you have nothing to wear, and you’re about as graceful as an elephant!” With friends like these, who needs enemies.
At this point, can you tell which fairy tale is being fractured here?
Fanny Agnes entrusted her brother with her hopes. He roared with laughter, declaring his sister as big as an ox. At this point, as Fanny had reached the place in sharing her plans where the fairy godmother would arrive, her brother was rolling hysterically on the floor. With family like this…well, you know…
But our girl didn’t give up on her dreams that easily. She dressed in her best calico that evening and waited on the front porch for said fairy godmother. Only to hear her named called aloud in the dark by Heber Jensen coming up the path. Fanny explains that she is waiting for her fairy godmother to transform her so that she can go to the ball and meet her prince.
Heber asks if Fanny can “twirl, waltz and curtsy”. No. But she can harness a horse, plow a field and shuck an ear of corn. He asks if she knows how to use twenty forks and spoons or how to drink properly from a goblet. Fanny offers that instead, she can cure a ham, milk the cows and make the bread.
Reminds me of the lyrics to the Peggy Lee song “I am a Woman.”
I can wash out forty four pairs of socks and have ’em hangin’ out on the line
I can starch and iron two dozens shirts ‘fore you can count from one to nine
I can scoop up a great big dipper full of lard from the drippin’s can
Throw it in the skillet, go out and do my shopping, be back before it melts in the pan
‘Cause I’m a woman! W-O-M-A-N, I’ll say it again
[source]
It’s practically love at first sight for Heber. He isn’t a prince but has a large farm and needs a wife “who will work by my side, through thick and thin, sweat and joy, and be glad for good food and great company.” He asks if Fanny will be that girl.
Fanny thinks on Heber’s proposal in the moonlight for an hour before accepting.
Then adds she doesn’t do windows.
It isn’t the ever-after that Fanny Agnes had envisioned for herself but it was happy.
One night Fanny goes out to the garden to pick a melon. Who should appear…
granted, a few years late. But better late than never?
Yup, I am going to have to do it again. I have to stop right there. Does Fanny finally get her life of bonbon eating and silk ball gowns? To find out, well, you know the drill…grab those car keys, gals and get to the library. Or head over to Amazon.com, here, and purchase your very own copy of this sweet, sweet Cinderella-story. Fanny’s Dream is written on a 3.7 (third grade, seventh month) reading level.
In looking for activities to accompany Fanny’s Dream, I came across a pin on Pinterest that linked this picture book to goal-setting. Genius! Fanny certainly had goals. And so do I! You might remember my goal board for September?
Real quick, allow me to share my progress on these goals. Actually, about ten minutes after I made this list and took this picture, I realized I had bitten off more than I could chew. So I am working on realizing these goals throughout the fall. So far…
- #30in30 – running 30 miles in 30 days – check
- Track Weight Watchers points – I am doing pretty well at this but room for improvement
- Read one adult book (working on two), listen to one audio book (one completed, another started), read a fairy tale (Fanny’s Dream) – check
- Swim 1X – check
- Cook 5X a week – ehh, trying? Does that count?
- Craft 2X – does fall decorating work here? I will-will-will craft this weekend.
- Write 4X – Grand failure. Mostly because I am scared of failure. I think about my book idea all the time, though.
- Create 2 Teachers Pay Teachers lessons – check, but need to finish a couple of lessons I have hanging fire
- Use new camera – FAIL
- Earn $50 at User Testing – $20?
Revised for October and November (pardon the drippy chalk).
Wish me luck!
And because I am just a nice person, I am going to throw you guys a bone. You have been so patient with me teasing you about the endings of all of the books I have reviewed this past five days. I am going to share a video retelling of Fanny’s Dream.
You are welcome! Enjoy.
Hugs and kisses,
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Thanks for sharing this book, I bet my daughter would love it. I haven’t heard of it (is that bad?). I am looking at your goals board and wondering what User Testing is?! I love how you make up goals!! I need to do some more crafting, at least fall crafts before this season is over!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Let’s make a pact to do more crafting this month and next. Pinky shake? Your daughter would LOVE Fanny’s Dream. You would love it, too. Such a great message. As little girls, we wait for our prince when sometimes the prince-iest men are not royalty at all. Will be thinking of you this weekend.
Whitney a la mode
How cool that you hosted a tv show! I missed that information some how. So so fun!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you. I am about the most unlikely (shy, introverted) person to host a TV show but because there were kids involved, I could do it.
Mary
I am loving this series! This looks like a great book-in my Amazon cart right now! 🙂 I have to tell you I just started the first Buddy Files book with my class this year and they are enthralled! And quiet! It’s AMAZING!!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Mary, you always touch my heart with your kind messages. So excited that those babies of yours are enjoying the first Buddy Files. I am sure you bring the books to life. It is you that they are really loving!
Karla Cook
I’m loving all the books you’re sharing. This one is great! Would love to see episodes of your TV show.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you! Trying to figure out a way to get my VHS tapes from the show onto a format where I can share them!
Carrie
Oh, I love books and especially children’s books. Something I really miss about not being a teacher any longer.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Books and babies, the best parts of teaching! And what I missed when I retired. Knew I was ready to be away from them quite yet.
Deena
So Willis loved the Terrible Twos! Can’t wait to see the other gems you come up with!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I am SO GLAD that Willis like Terrible Twos. Hope you will try some of these others. So many excellent books written for children these days. Coming soon…books for girls.
Sheila @ Making the Most of Every Day
Sounds like another good one! I’m lying in bed so I can’t
watch the video but I want to read the book anyways!