The Bora-Bora Dress [Hardcover]

Carole Lexa Schaefer (Author), Catherine Stock (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 2005 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

It takes a special kind of dress to get Lindsay to change her ways in this lyrical tale told with sprightly illustrations.

Slish — the dress slid off its hanger. Lindsay read the little tag inside: "Made in Bora-Bora for you."

Fabulous Aunt Fiona is throwing an end-of-the-summer, snazzy, ritzy party, and Lindsay can't wait to go. There’s just one hitch: she has to wear a dress, and Lindsay never ever ever wears a dress. She wears her baggy shorts to run on the beach. She wears her patch overalls to jump in piles of leaves. But that's before Lindsay sees a wonderful sundress shaped like a wedge of pie, with a parrot painted on front that seems to wink at her. If Lindsay goes to the party in a dress from a magical island far away, who can predict what will happen?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–Lindsay never, ever wears dresses. But when she is invited to fabulous Aunt Fiona's ritzy party, jeans just won't do. Lindsay's mother takes her to a fancy shop where she finds an exotic dress hanging in one of the changing rooms. The tag on it says Made in Bora-Bora for you. Lindsay wears the dress to the party and is transformed from an angular tomboy into an elegant young lady, filled with possibilities. The magical influence of the dress is not well developed, and the story is dull. There are hints, such as when Lindsay decorates cupcakes for the party, thinking of the vibrant colors on the dress, and creates fantastic treats. But the magic she experiences at her aunt's party could just as easily be explained by the moonlight on the beach and the sensation of feeling grown up in a grown-up's world. Stock's watercolors are lush and ethereal and a bit too much (although the garden maze in the middle of the book provides a diverting I-spy exercise). The book attempts to present the wonder of unexplainable magic but fails to cast a spell.–Kara Schaff Dean, Needham Public Library, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 3. Accustomed to wearing pants instead of a skirt, lanky Lindsay only consents to donning a dress in order to attend Aunt Fiona's party. Her mother hauls the reluctant girl off to the dress shop, an alien place of dots, plaids, pleats, ruffles, frills--and one spectacular sundress bearing the tag "Made in Bora-Bora for you." Wonderfully exotic, yet light and comfortable, the dress seems as magical as Aunt Fiona's party, where the guests stroll through the garden maze and Lindsay dances in the moonlight. The story and artwork are mesmerizing as Lindsay transforms from a girl whose idea of formal dress is ribbon-pocket jeans to one who magically, joyfully floats and twirls in the frock that was made just for her. Repeated words and sounds weave though the text, lending grace and style to the simple narrative. Featuring elongated figures, lively patterns, and pleasing colors, Stock's watercolor paintings create a bit of enchantment all their own. The well-composed scenes illustrate the story with distinction, particularly in the moonlit scenes of Lindsay dancing in her Bora-Bora dress. This is a good choice for reading aloud; leave plenty of time to pore over the detailed, luminous artwork. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (July 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763612340
• ISBN-13: 978-0763612344
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 0.4 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,586,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent little girl story!, September 7, 2008

By 

Robert G. Fulljames - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bora-Bora Dress (Hardcover)

The Bora Bora Dress is an excellent read for any little girl and her mom, grandma, etc.! Makes for fun pretend play when the story is over, too!

4 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just wondering, August 22, 2005

By 

Waldo E. Schaefer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bora-Bora Dress (Hardcover)

This is a question rather than a review. Since you want to sell books, and this book, The Bora Bora Dress, has a starred review from Booklist, why do you carry this sour review from School Library Journal? Couldn't you at least include the Booklist review to balance the one from SLJ?