Fancy Nancy: Bonjour, Butterfly (Hardcover)

~ Jane O'connor (Author), Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2—Another delicious "Fancy Nancy" book. This time the little glamour girl has a problem. Her friend Bree is having an extra-special butterfly birthday party on the same day that Nancy's grandparents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. The family party wins out and Nancy is "furious" ("Mad is way too plain for how I feel"). But things turn out unexpectedly well: she discovers that motels are fun, and that grandparents have elegant and extraordinary parties and an exciting surprise up their sleeves. Glasser's illustrations and O'Connor's text have created the quintessential girly girl in Nancy. The red-haired heroine is so full of joie de vivre (as she would say) as she dances through the book in her finery—bows, ribbons, butterflies, beads, flowers, and all—that little girls everywhere will happily enjoy this adventure.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
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From Booklist

Vain, affected, frilly, and old-fashioned girly in every way, preschooler Nancy is also assertive about who she is and what she wants, and she becomes furious when she cannot get her way. Angry is too plain a word for how she feels when she misses her friend’s butterfly party because she has to attend her grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary. But the anniversary trip turns out to be lots of fun and just her style, with “queen” beds and lotions in a fancy hotel. Best of all, though, is the visit to a butterfly garden in the local zoo. Glasser’s intricately detailed, line-and-watercolor pictures show the prima donna’s obsession with bows, beads, and glitter, including her hat with a nesting bird and two butterflies. As in Fancy Nancy (2006), the little princess loves fancy words, this time throwing in some French: “Ooh la la!” --Hazel Rochman

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (February 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061235881
• ISBN-13: 978-0061235887
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #586 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic in the details, February 7, 2008

By	Julie Neal "The Complete Walt Disney World" (Sanibel Island, Fla.) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Everything about this hardback kids' book is charming, but it's the little details that will make you a Fancy Nancy fan.

The illustrations -- pen and ink over vivid watercolor -- are packed with fun and realistic details. They bring the story to life, and more importantly, bring the characters to life. For example, in a scene in a garden, Nancy's mom is wearing a cap with a pink breast cancer ribbon that reads "3 Day Race." When the family has a picnic, Nancy has a tea set up for her dolls with the table being a shoebox. The shoebox reads "Comfies: Like walking on a cloud! Size 8 medium." In the hotel room, dad rests with a book over his eyes. The title? Dangerous Admissions, which is author Jane O'Connor's novel for adults.

The plot is nice, too. It's about how little girl Nancy has to miss her friend Bree's butterfly-themed birthday party because she has to go to her grandparents' anniversary celebration. Nancy is very unhappy at first: "For the next two days, I scowl and sulk and storm around the house." But when the tiny drama queen goes to the anniversary she has a great time, and apologizes for her bad behavior.

The cover is as fancy as Nancy herself, with glossy glittery sparkles on the artwork, words and the outside border of the book. When you take off the paper sleeve, the hardback cover has the same artwork but without the sparkles.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Fancy Nancy yet!, February 10, 2008

By	Sally Linford - See all my reviews

Dear Reader,
You won't believe this, but I have seven daughters--yes, seven--from ages 15 yrs to three months old. We ALL adore Fancy Nancy. (Okay, maybe I'm putting words in the mouth of the 3 month old, but my other little girls love Nancy so much, they read the books to the baby.)

The sparkley covers are enough to make any princess swoon, but the delightful writing (so few words on a page--thank you!) and spectacular illustrations make Fancy Nancy a DAILY ritual in our house.

In her latest adventure, Nancy is distraught when she finds out she'll have to miss her best friend's birthday party for her grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. O'Connor presents a delightful, yet very real family: mom, dad, sister, grandparents, even dog.

Of course, there is new, fancy vocabulary as Nancy expresses herself in the fanciest way possible. I'll leave it to you to discover how the butterfly theme is brilliantly woven throughout.

Enjoy!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Butterflies and Parties, March 2, 2008

By	Timothy Haugh (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

When I first wanted to get Fancy Nancy books for Nancy, my daughter, my wife was a little concerned. She wasn't sure she wanted to encourage our daughter to be "fancy." But Ms. O'Connor has proved time and again that her stories are positive, family-friendly tales that are perfect for any child. This book is no exception.

In Bonjour, Butterfly, Nancy the butterfly-lover helps her friend Bree plan a butterfly-themed birthday party. Then she finds out that she won't be able to attend the party because she has to go to her grandparents 50th wedding anniversary party instead. Though I had a bit of a tough time getting past the idea that Nancy's parents would forget about the conflicting dates, the truthfulness of the family relationships shone through and made for another good story.

It also needs to be said that Robin Preiss Glasser's artwork for these books may be the best in children's literature right now. I keep thinking I'll get tired of it but I never do. Every page is like opening up to a new masterpiece of detail and beauty. She deserves a lot of the credit for making these books what they are.

And what these books are is an eye-popping experience of excellence. Certainly, nobody with a child named Nancy can do without. But I would recommend them to anyone.