Dream Factory Review

Dream Factory

"Where dreams come true."

S. Hof

I recently read the book Dream Factory, by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler. The story is set in present-day, in none other than Disney Land as a group of teens is recruited to fill in for the striking characters of the Disney family. Dream Factory takes an unusual approach in story-telling, alternating narrators each chapter. The first narrator is Ella who, naturally, plays Cinderella because, to be frank, 'the shoe fits'. Prince Charming is played by a boy called Mark who is obsessed with all things Disney. The second narrator is a boy named Luke who plays the fur character "Dale" from Chip n' Dale. His girlfriend, Cassie, plays Chip.

Dream Factory is interesting in the fact that it causes readers to look at Disney Land, or any amusement park for that matter, in a whole new way. We sometimes forget that the characters we see are people just like us, and aren't always as cheerful as a role like Mickey Mouse requires. It's also an easy book for kids to relate to, because the characters deal with issues facing many of us today. Granted, we aren't concerned about cleaning out a giant chipmunk's head before the next show, but many of the characters are preparing for college or ready-made futures waiting for them at the end of the summer. There's also plenty of romance, confusion, worries, and self-realization all wrapped up and waiting for eager readers to discover. So far as I'm concerned, Dream Factory is the ideal story for any teen. It touches on so many key issues that we face today that you'd have a hard time not feeling some sort of satisfaction and warmth when you finish.