Friday, January 22, 2010

Fanny & Annabelle by Holly Hobbie


Igniting the imagination and creativity in all of us, author Holly Hobbie, presents the message that sometimes the best gifts in life are free. Fanny & Annabelle depicts the delightful tale of Fanny as she attempts to write a story about her doll, Annabelle. Fanny inspires to create a picture book. Even though she does not always know what the progression of her story will be, she keeps her hopes high.

Fanny & Annabelle takes us through steps of the writing process. Interspersed through the book is the story of Fanny's real life mixed with her own story entitled Annabelle's Adventure. Whenever there is a chapter about Annabelle, Fanny's child handwriting is shown along with her own "personal drawings." As Fanny writes, she faces challenges as a writer such as what should happen next? How should I resolve the conflict? Fanny soon learns that she can relate stories from her real life to help write her story.

While Annabelle, the character in Fanny's book, gives the present of a golden locket to her Aunt Sally, Fanny herself gives her mom her handwritten and illustrated story. By giving her mom a homemade gift, Fanny & Annabelle presents the message that gifts from the heart mean more. It is the thought that counts.

I especially liked this story because students can become inspired by the character Fanny to write their own stories or picture books. This story would serve as a good introduction. By starting with an idea, a whole story can develop. As Fanny & Annabelle showed, inspiration for a story can come from everyday experience.

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