Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher
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Summary:
"Annabelle, the girl who was overlooked, unwanted, insignificant, worthless." — Richelle E. Goodrich
This is a fictional tale that mirrors the unfortunate reality of many young people whose home lives are private nightmares. Annabelle tenderly acquaints the reader with her lonely struggles while sharing her courage in the face of adversity. Many of the events in this book were taken from the lives of individuals known by the author.
Annabelle Fancher lives with her mother and her often-absent, alcoholic father. When he is not on the road, his presence at home creates heightened anxiety in his wife and daughter—fear caused by years of abuse. Annabelle copes with her circumstances by escaping into popular fairy tales where she dreams characters to life. When her dreams cross over into waking fantasies, and the ghostly image of a dreamed character appears before her, Annabelle begins a real struggle to separate reality from pretend and sanity from beautiful madness. This is a story where realism and fantasy beautifully intertwine.
Really Makes You Think
5 out of 5 stars
This is a beautifully written book about Annabelle who lives life like she wishes it was in reality through her dreams. Annabelle and her mother try to get through life when Annabelle's father comes back to town to wreak havoc on the both of them. Annabelle's father Johnny is a truck driver who is out of town sometimes but not often enough. Annabelle's mother Lindsey tries to teach her about reality and right from wrong but cannot succeed since Johnny is always lurking around every corner. Everyone should read this book because no matter what life throws at you many people have it worse, and you should thank your lucky stars.
—Robyn
This Book will Keep You Thinking
5 out of 5 stars
Annabelle Fancher is the child in elementary school with no friends. No one can stand to sit by her because she is perpetually smelly and just...well...odd. Always lost in her own little world and sometimes even talking to herself. But what no one realizes is that Annabelle is the victim of countless atrocities at the hands of her drunken father. Annabelle seeks refuge in the precious few books she hides away in her closet and the safety of her dreams. Which is where she meets the mischievous Gavin, who spirits her away to a world that can be anything you imagine.
My favorite quote of the book is at the end: "There are many who don't wish to sleep for fear of nightmares. Sadly, there are many who don't wish to wake up for the same fear."
I have very few complaints about this book. In truth, they are more societal complaints about the cycle of violence and our inability to help those who truly need it the most. I wanted to scream at the characters who completely misjudged Annabelle and those who saw the situation more clearly but believed they were powerless to help. This is a book that will keep me thinking for some time, and isn't that the best kind? —LeiAnn
My favorite quote of the book is at the end: "There are many who don't wish to sleep for fear of nightmares. Sadly, there are many who don't wish to wake up for the same fear."
I have very few complaints about this book. In truth, they are more societal complaints about the cycle of violence and our inability to help those who truly need it the most. I wanted to scream at the characters who completely misjudged Annabelle and those who saw the situation more clearly but believed they were powerless to help. This is a book that will keep me thinking for some time, and isn't that the best kind? —LeiAnn
Highly Recommend
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
I think that this was a very sad story that made me cry but was written very well by an amazing author who apparently has a lot of talent if she can write a book that is sad but wonderful at the same time. I enjoyed reading this book and really liked that this book show's the inside life of a child who had many challenges she faced at her home and how other kids tend to make fun of her because she smelled bad and wore dirty cloths but didn't have a clue as to what her life was like at home. I would highly recommend reading. I loved it.
—Cassie
Couldn't Put it Down
5 out of 5 stars
I was totally devastated, and unable to sleep. It was a book that you couldn't put down. It pulled at your emotions; compassion for the child, anger for the perpetrator and horrified at his brutality, glad for those who reached out to help, disgusted or exasperated for the way things were handled in helping the girl, and disappointed in the ending. It was perplexing, kind of a Stephen King semi-thriller.
—Arlene
Hard to Put the Book Down
4 out of 5 stars
Definitely hard to put down....wanted the story to keep going!!!
—Dennette
Difficult Book Dealing with Real World Abuse
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
The first words in this book are a slightly-altered reading of Little Red Riding Hood. But very quickly there are differences and whimsy. You may think that this book is a fanciful retelling of that classic, with all the danger of the Wizard of Oz. But soon you leave that safe fairytale and enter a dark and very tangible and tactile world, one where the big bad wolf is all too real and relatable.
Annabelle has some difficulties that almost all of us can relate to: being shy, feeling left out, and not always standing up to those who push us around. But she has challenges that fewer of us can relate to: poverty, hunger, beds without sheets, cinderblock walls without paint. She has some trials that even fewer of us can appreciate: an alcoholic father who has no problem beating her, drunk or not.
That's the horror of the book, that it is so relatable. It brings the horror right to your front door and forces you to acknowledge the fact that someone around you, maybe you personally, are going through hell and that we all would do well to reach out in kindness to people who could be suffering in ways more deep and more horrific and more profound than we can suppose.
This book doesn't take you on a guilt trip for being fortunate. It simply awakens you to realize that you don't know what others go through, and you don't understand why they think and act and behave in the ways they do. If you must judge, judge with compassion and patience. The book accomplishes this without being preachy.
This is a rough book. It's not pure fantasy, nor is it pure fiction. No, this is our world, and we would do well to try to be kinder in it. —Robert
Annabelle has some difficulties that almost all of us can relate to: being shy, feeling left out, and not always standing up to those who push us around. But she has challenges that fewer of us can relate to: poverty, hunger, beds without sheets, cinderblock walls without paint. She has some trials that even fewer of us can appreciate: an alcoholic father who has no problem beating her, drunk or not.
That's the horror of the book, that it is so relatable. It brings the horror right to your front door and forces you to acknowledge the fact that someone around you, maybe you personally, are going through hell and that we all would do well to reach out in kindness to people who could be suffering in ways more deep and more horrific and more profound than we can suppose.
This book doesn't take you on a guilt trip for being fortunate. It simply awakens you to realize that you don't know what others go through, and you don't understand why they think and act and behave in the ways they do. If you must judge, judge with compassion and patience. The book accomplishes this without being preachy.
This is a rough book. It's not pure fantasy, nor is it pure fiction. No, this is our world, and we would do well to try to be kinder in it. —Robert