Fancy Nancy: Best Reading Buddies

by Jane O'Connor, Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator)

Ooh la la—Fancy Nancy is so lucky! She and her reading buddy, Violet, read together every Monday. But when a few Mondays go by without being able to meet, Nancy begins to miss her new friend. Will Violet and Nancy find a way to read together even if they’re not at school?

Beginning readers will delight as Nancy has fun with her reading buddy in this Fancy Nancy I Can Read!, Best Reading Buddies, from New York Times bestselling team Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser!

Best Reading Buddies is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

 

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Friendship, Audiobook, School, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

Published September 6, 2016

About the author

Since the publication of Fancy Nancy, Jane O'Connor's closet now boasts so many boas, tiaras, and sparkly ensembles that sometimes friends do not recognize her on the street. She still resides (that's a fancy word for lives) in New York City with her family and their canine companion, Arrow. --from the publisher's website

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brings back memories! I remember having a reading buddy many years ago. First, I was the younger of the pair, and then later, I was the older reading buddy. I can remember how "big" the older kids seemed (well, when you're in kindergarten, even the kids in grade one seem so much older).

Nancy has a reading buddy named Violet. I'm not exactly sure how old Nancy is, but Violet is in the fifth grade. She's a nice kid, and doesn't appear to look down on Nancy at all. And Nancy really looks up to Violet. They both want to be librarians, and they like the same types of books. Nancy even tries to imitate Violet's original style of dressing.

But there's a period of a few weeks where they just can't seem to connect for their Monday reading sessions. First, Nancy wakes up with a cold and can't go to school. The next week, Violet's class has a field trip. The week after that, it's a holiday and there's no school. Nancy really misses her reading buddy... but with a bit of string-pulling from the parents behind the scenes, the girls eventually find a way to have some reading fun together.

As in the other Fancy Nancy book I've read so far, the illustrations are really cute. I can't complain.

This is a sweet little story about friendship and a love of reading. It also has some nice "fancy" words in the text (and glossary) so kids can learn a bit of new vocabulary. I would've eaten this book up when I was little, and I'm sure there are plenty of kids who still will.

Quotable moment:

[Lorellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet Nancy about the joy of having someone to read with. Tot was delighted to talk about how we are also reading buddies.

[Abrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because I liked the parts when Nancy said the fancy words. My favorite fancy word in this book was Merci .

[Cyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the title, I thought this would be a favorite Fancy Nancy book, but it didn't land in my top ten. Nancy has a new reading buddy named Violet. They meet at the library every Monday to read books.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously my favorite Fancy Nancy book to date!

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I taught fifth grade, my students always enjoyed when we partnered up with a primary classroom to be Reading Buddies. Young children often enjoy being around older kids. This sweet picture book tells young readers all about Nancy's Reading Buddy, Violet. Violet is in fifth grade and very cool. She makes quite an impression on Nancy. So much so, that when several weeks go by without the two of them getting to read together, Violet plans a sweet surprise for Nancy. This would be a good book to share with young readers, especially in classrooms where a Reading Buddy program is in place.

[Jared White · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's about reading, reading buddies, and the library. Of course, I'm going to like it!... since I work in a library I may be partial to all of these things. :)

I like that Nancy thinks her reading buddy is cool and it's very believable that the buddy influences her own fashion sense (I doubt Nancy's character would ever think non-matching shoes were cool without that influence). Of course, it's also nice that the reading buddy is thoughtful and kind to Nancy and doesn't directly try to influence her in that way.

[Go · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter, Riley, loves Fancy Nancy books and she read this one to her little sister at bedtime. It reminds me of our mother-daughter relationship because we love to read together and go to the library often. It was sweet how there was an older girl who was Nancy’s reading buddy in school and she was kind to her as a younger reader. They looked forward to their reading time together, just like I do with my kids.

[Misbah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story reminded me of my reading buddy in first grade. She was probably only a 4th grader at most, but she seemed so mature and experienced. I remember being in awe of her cursive writing.

In this story a little girl adores her reading buddy and copies everything she does. Reading books with her is the highlight of her day. When she misses school because she's sick, her reading buddy comes to visit her at home so they can read together.

[Nichole Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's literature grades 1-3

This is a great story if you want to get children involved in wanting to read. Especially girls. I read this to my daughter, and she absolutely loved it!!! It was full of fun words and a great story about a girl missing her reading buddy. Just a great read to anyone who loves book or wants to encourage their students to love reading.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daddy loves this book but mommy never read it before. Mommy might love it but we don't know. 🍎🌽☺️😎😎😚😝😪😟😤😢🤯🧐🤮🤧🤕😺💩👺☠️👻👻👱🤴🤵🤵👰👰⛷️🏂🕴️🗣️🏂👨‍👧👨‍👧👩‍👩‍👧🖕👇💖💜🖤💝💗💝💝💗💝✍️🤟👎✍️🎒🛍️🎒 Hope the book is cute and the emojis are amazing

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. It is cute and colorful. I like how Nancy defines words for kids.

What I liked most about the book was how it show how nice it is to have reading buddies. Some people think reading is solitary and it can be. But it can also be a social thing.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky Nancy is assigned a “reading buddy” and they become friends.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Fancy Nancy misses two Mondays in a row with her fifth grade reading buddy, Violet, she surprises her with a home visit to read together.

[Melissa C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love my baby but I read a book without her.
I do quite fancy the Fancy Nancy books.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinder and 2nd grade girls are my SMART readers in 2019-20; I think it's going to be a lot of Pinkalicious … and Fancy Nancy.

[Hawwa Aasiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-book
April 2020
Quetta

[Eugenio · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars but rounding up since my daughter loved it!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracking without using his finger today!! Eventhough he was very, very sleepy.
November of 1st grade.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun fancy Nancy

Love that she reads Madeline
Why are fifteen more words required for the review? That's the oddest thing to do. What on earth?

[Megan Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because the book is focused on learning to sound out words and sentences as well as rich vocabulary, it's a great book for early readers and to introduce students to love reading. It teaches children to read outside of school and that reading can be fun, as well as friendship. It's an enjoyable book that will keep them engaged and wanting to read! I would include this in my class library for students to grab and read on their own time.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked how Nancy and Violet got along so well together and how they missed each other.

[Rhyme Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing because I like to read, and this book is all about reading!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fancy Nancy is in school and learning how to read. She enjoys Mondays when she gets to read with her reading buddy, Violet, a fifth grader. Nancy and Violet have so much in common - including a love of reading. So when Nancy doesn't get to see Violet for a few Mondays she misses her. This book was adorable and really promotes reading. I liked how this book has an interesting story to it even though it's relatively simple to read (aside for Nancy's five fancy words which are in a glossary in the back). I found it amusing how Glasser's illustrations include Nancy holding a copy of Madeline's Rescue at the library. Cute book for early readers and all Fancy Nancy fans!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Fancy Nancy books. This book is not as good as others I have read about Fancy Nancy. It is a good book about the love of reading.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 Stars I find no fault in this Fancy Nancy Book! It is Awesome and exquisite and full of heart! LOVE LOVE LOVE!

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10/17 Read with Naomi
6/7/18 Read with Naomi & Julia.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fancy Nancy loves her reading buddy Violet.

[Booklover2017]

I just randomly read this at the store and I forgot how good this series is, LOL.