My daughter is definitely a Fancy Nancy! I grew up as sort of a tom-boy, and even now making things “pretty” is not my top priority. My daughter is the one who wants a centerpiece of fresh flowers on the table and absolutely loved decorating our home with red and pink hearts for Valentines Day.  If you have a daughter who also loves princesses, ballerinas, and movie stars and you haven’t read the Fancy Nancy Books, go find one today! These books are adorable. My daughter loves to look at the pictures and memorize the amazingly fancy vocabulary that Nancy uses.

Fancy Nancy: Bonjour, Butterfly is one of the later books in the series and it is a perfect pair with the Desert Botanical Garden Butterfly Exhibit. You and your family can visit this exhibit just as Nancy does in her book. Dress up and enjoy the day together! This will certainly be a day fit for your own ”Fancy Nancy”!

The Book

Title: Fancy Nancy: Bonjour, Butterfly

Click here to buy Fancy Nancy books and merchandise!

Author: Jane O’Connor

Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser

Recommended Age: 4-8

Book Brief: Nancy thinks butterflies are simply exquisite. And that is why she can’t wait for her firend Bree’s Butterfly Birthday. Its going to be the fanciest birthday party ever! But when Nancy finds out she can’t go because her grandparent’s fiftieth anniversary party is the same day, she is furious. (Mad is way too plain for how she feels.) Will Nancy be able to overcome her disappointment?

About the Author: Jane O’Connor is not only an aficionado (that’s a fancy word for fan) of butterflies but a breeder as well. Years before she wrote the bestselling Fancy Nancy and Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy, Jane and her two sons hatched a beautiful monarch within the confines of their Manhattan apartment. Releasing it in the wilds of Central Park remains the culminating achievement of her career as a naturalist.

About the Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser did some early research for this book at age five as a butterfly in Madame Seda’s yearly ballet recital of Hansel and Gretel. She went on to dance professionally before becoming the illustrator of such bestsellers as Jane O’Connor’s Fancy Nancy and Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy and Lynne Cheney’s Our 50 States. Robin lives in Southern California with her husband, Bob; children, Sasha and Benjamin; and dog Boo.

The Blast

Desert Botanical Garden Spring Butterfly Exhibit

Location:

Marshall Butterfly Pavilion – 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ

480-941-1225

Date & Time: March 7 – May 31st; 9:30am-5pm Daily

Cost:

Due to Chihuly:The Nature of Glass advance reservations are required for any admission to the Garden.

It’s a Blast!

The Desert Botanical Garden invites you to experience the magic and wonder of its beautiful Marshall Butterfly Pavilion. Butterflies will surround you as they flutter about sipping nectar from plants, perching in the sun, and landing on visitors. Visit the special display areas featuring butterfly host plants and a discovery station where you can view the scaly winged friends up close.

About Desert Botanical Garden:

Nestled amid the red buttes of Papago Park, the Desert Botanical Garden hosts one of the world’s finest collections of desert plants. One of only 44 botanical gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums, this one-of-a-kind museum showcases 50 acres of beautiful outdoor exhibits. Home to 139 rare, threatened and endangered plant species from around the world, the Garden offers interesting and inspiring experiences to more than 300,000 visitors each year.

A charter member of the Museum Association of Arizona and National Center for Plant Conservation, the Garden is fully accredited with the American Association of Museums and American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. It continues to build on its 63-year legacy of environmental stewardship, and has become nationally and internationally renowned for its plant collections, research and educational programs.

Extra tips for a Good Time:

• Wear bright colors to attract the butterflies.
• There are 3 reservation times each day: 8-noon; noon-4pm; and 4-8pm please note that the butterfly pavilion 9:30-5pm daily and plan your reservation accordingly.
• Take time to enjoy the patio cafe with great food and a small kids menu.