Modern Fantasy: Fanny's Dream by Caralyn Buehner

Fanny's Dream is a great picture book for the lower elementary grades. The illustrations really catch what the author is trying to say and makes her thoughts more noticable. The moral of this book is very good as well, however I think only students in the upper elementary grades would be able to capture the meaning. This book was about a young girl named Fanny who dreamed of being married to a prince who is really the mayor's son. Although, she is not considered to be among the prettiest females of her town, her heart is bigger than anything. The night of her town's ball, she waits outside for her fairy godmother to come in and turn her into this beautiful princess but her fairy godmother never shows up. When she thinks she hears her coming it turns out to be just a normal guy named Heber from town who really likes Fanny, but she continues to ignore him. While they both wait outside for her godmother, Hebert expresses to Fanny that he wants a wife and feels that she will be perfect wife and he could be her perfect husband. Seeing that by this time, she was tired of waiting on her godmother and decided to take Heber up on his offer. So they marry and Herber promises to wait on her for at least once a day as if she was princess. Life passes Fanny and Herber by and they have children and continue to go on day by day. Then one night, here comes her fairy god mother, wanting to change Fanny into the princess she has longed waited for. To her godmothers' surprise, she doesnt want to go to the ball and returns to the house to her husband and children. After reading this book, it made me appreciate my life and the people in it. Every girl grows up hoping to marry the rich, charming guy but in all reality that's not what life is about. This books teaches children that they should be happy with the things they have, and sometimes it's better to just wait on life and let it happen on its on. As you may have seen, this book strongly mimics the cinderella story, but has a little twist on the happily ever after. Fanny had her prince charming all along, and eventually realized it when her godmother wanted to come and change all of what she and her husband worked so hard to achieve. I think this was a great book for students to read, young or old.