When I Was A Girl I Dreamed

When I Was A Girl I Dreamed by Justin Matott. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9781889191256.

Opening on horseback, this wonderfully and fancifully illustrated picture book story follows the memory of a grandmother type gal as she shares her past dreams, uncovering the commonality of a young girls dreams and pursuits, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. She is seen painting on the streets of Paris, visiting all Seven Wonders of the World while floating through the air in a hot-air balloon, living in a castle surrounded by a moat, as an archaeologist in Egypt, a delighted and delightful teacher, the lead dancer in the Nutcracker Suite, a kind veterinarian, with a magical robot to take care of all chores, exploring the deep underwater wonders, zooming in a hot pink rocket car to a special, girls only, clubhouse in space, scoring the winning points in a tense, important basketball tournament, unlimited shopping sprees with friends at the fancy, local mall that never closes, being the first female President of the USA and other far-flung hijinx. As the dream-telling draws to a close, the reader sees the woman pursuing yet another of her life long goals, bringing to question whether or not those dreams came true, but leaving no doubt that the woman still dreams... BIG!