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A review by jatgood
Fancy Nancy and the Boy from Paris by Jane O'Connor
2.0
In this story, Fancy Nancy finds that there is new boy at her school from Paris. Nancy is excited to meet him because she loves French things and even has an Eiffel Tower poster in her bedroom. Nancy approaches Robert during reading time and says bonjour and thinks he is reading a book about cowboys to learn about America. She wants to be friends and teach him about things in America like donut holes and soccer. The gaff is finally revealed - the boy is from Paris, Texas and Nancy failed to realize this because she was late to class on his first day. The mistake is pretty sweet and charming as a story-line.
I was curious to see what Fancy Nancy was like as a character, having never read any of her books. After picking up this reader, I can say pretty definitively that I’m not really taken with her. I don’t have any other background to go on, but she seems like a mildly snobbish, girly-girl who likes everything glamorous and fancy. She wears glitter, tiaras, ribbons, frills, boas and bows, and loves all things French. As a born tomboy I found her over-the-top persona a bit overwhelming. I find this book an interesting choice as an “I Can Read!” beginning reader. Short sentences and familiar words are meant to be the hallmarks of this category of “I Can Read!” While the sentences were short, there were enough French words sprinkled in the story that I suspect those might be stumbling points for a brand new reader. The watercolor illustrations are light and fresh especially in the facial expressions, but Fancy Nancy’s outfits and layers of frills take center stage. Overall, not my favourite.
I was curious to see what Fancy Nancy was like as a character, having never read any of her books. After picking up this reader, I can say pretty definitively that I’m not really taken with her. I don’t have any other background to go on, but she seems like a mildly snobbish, girly-girl who likes everything glamorous and fancy. She wears glitter, tiaras, ribbons, frills, boas and bows, and loves all things French. As a born tomboy I found her over-the-top persona a bit overwhelming. I find this book an interesting choice as an “I Can Read!” beginning reader. Short sentences and familiar words are meant to be the hallmarks of this category of “I Can Read!” While the sentences were short, there were enough French words sprinkled in the story that I suspect those might be stumbling points for a brand new reader. The watercolor illustrations are light and fresh especially in the facial expressions, but Fancy Nancy’s outfits and layers of frills take center stage. Overall, not my favourite.