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Dory Fantasmagory #2
Dory Fantasmagory: The Real True Friend
Fans of Junie B. Jones and Ivy and Bean will love this new story about the spunky little rascal with big ideas.
The star of Dory Fantasmagory is heading to school. Her older siblings, Luke and Violet, warn her to leave her imaginary friend, Mary, at home—or better yet, leave her whole imagination at home! Dory is determined to behave like a “regular old girl who never gets in trouble,” but on her very first day she meets a new friend, a girl whose imagination and style are just about as wild as her own. Now she just has to convince her siblings that she’s not making it all up!
Filled with plenty of funny pictures, this book bursts with charm and impudence, making this a must-read for the chapter book set.
"Dory is as likable a kid heroine as I’ve encountered in a decade." – The Boston Globe
* "Once again, Hanlon’s hilarious narration and cartooning reveal an uncanny talent for getting into the mile-a-minute mind of a one-of-a-kind girl." – Publishers Weekly, starred review
The star of Dory Fantasmagory is heading to school. Her older siblings, Luke and Violet, warn her to leave her imaginary friend, Mary, at home—or better yet, leave her whole imagination at home! Dory is determined to behave like a “regular old girl who never gets in trouble,” but on her very first day she meets a new friend, a girl whose imagination and style are just about as wild as her own. Now she just has to convince her siblings that she’s not making it all up!
Filled with plenty of funny pictures, this book bursts with charm and impudence, making this a must-read for the chapter book set.
"Dory is as likable a kid heroine as I’ve encountered in a decade." – The Boston Globe
* "Once again, Hanlon’s hilarious narration and cartooning reveal an uncanny talent for getting into the mile-a-minute mind of a one-of-a-kind girl." – Publishers Weekly, starred review
176 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
137 people are currently reading
745 people want to read
About the author
Abby Hanlon
34 books271 followersAbby Hanlon is the author and illustrator of Dory Fantasmagory, a series of chapter books for five to nine year olds, published by Dial/Penguin Random House. The first book in the series was named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Parent's Magazine. It won a Golden Kite Honor for Fiction and is an American Library Association Notable Book. The sequel, Dory and The Real True Friend won a 2015 Cybil award. The books have been translated in twenty-four languages and are Junior Library Guild selections.
Abby has a bachelor's from Barnard College and a master's degree in childhood education from the City College of New York. Abby has taught creative writing and first grade in the New York City public school system. Her debut picture book, Ralph Tells a Story (2012), is widely used by elementary school teachers. Abby illustrated the picture book, Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme, written by Avery Monsen (2022). Chester Van Chime is a 2023 Bank Street College Best Books pick and a Good Housekeeping Best Kids’ Books of 2022 selection.
Abby lives with her family in Brooklyn, NY.
Abby has a bachelor's from Barnard College and a master's degree in childhood education from the City College of New York. Abby has taught creative writing and first grade in the New York City public school system. Her debut picture book, Ralph Tells a Story (2012), is widely used by elementary school teachers. Abby illustrated the picture book, Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme, written by Avery Monsen (2022). Chester Van Chime is a 2023 Bank Street College Best Books pick and a Good Housekeeping Best Kids’ Books of 2022 selection.
Abby lives with her family in Brooklyn, NY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
January 19, 2021
Although I do appreciate the general concept of Abby Hanlon's Dory and the Real True Friend, have much enjoyed Dory as a character (as a presented person) and truly and majorly both cherish and even treasure her inventiveness and imagination (and especially that she obviously has enough confidence and strength of personality to not only do what her imagination dictates, but to also have no seeming regrets with regard to the same), I also do tend to find both Dory and her new, her in the end real and true best friend Rosabelle more than a trifle overly narrationally overdone (and in particular with regard to how both of them behave and act).
But alongside of my issues with exaggeration and Dory and Annabelle often seemingly deporting themselves way too exaggeratedly, even more of an annoying and frustrating issue for me personally is in fact and indeed Abby Hanlon's featured writing style, in so far that Dory and the Real True Friend often to and for me feels and reads more like a simplified plot outline that an actually finished novel. For yes, even taking into consideration that Dory and the Real True Friend is a story conceptualised and specifically penned for recently independent readers, Abby Hanlon's text just feels a bit too choppy, jumpy and disjointed for me, with especially the transitions form one episode to the next being far from smooth. And actually, in my humble opinion, the disjointedness, the outline like quality of the text, of the written words, only seems to augment the already exaggerated qualities of Dory's and Rosabelle's imagination (something that might well appeal to the intended audience, to younger children just learning to read, but leaves me both cold and rather unsatisfied and annoyed).
Therefore, while I have most definitely enjoyed Dory and Rosabelle's fantastical play acting and imagination to an extent, the simplicity of the textual presentation, the rather obvious lack of description and narrative expansion always gives me the uncomfortable feeling of having missed something (and perhaps even something essential), of not having been given, not having been presented with the entire story, the entire contents of the same (although I do in fact both realise and even understand that for the intended audience Dory and the Real True Friend might and perhaps even likely hit the proverbial sweet spot and be very much enjoyed if not even a personal favourite). And yes, with this salient fact in mind, I actually still tend to recommend Dory and the Real True Friend for younger children (especially if they enjoy reading about imaginative and strong-willed little girls who are not shy about using and celebrating their imagination), but personally and from a reading pleasure and enjoyment point of view, two stars is all I am personally willing to consider (as I also do not at all like the accompanying cartoon-like illustrations and am frankly more than a bit annoyed at and by the fact that the author, that Abby Hanlon never really actively censures, condemns or even remotely punishes Dory's siblings' verbal nastiness to her, portraying even Dory's parents as at best more than a bit clueless with regard to what I personally can only call and label as nasty sibling-based verbal abuse and bullying and to which Dory is constantly being exposed and subjected to by especially her older "I know everything best" sister).
And finally, I only read Dory and the Real True Friend in the first place because it was selected as a monthly read for the Fiction Club in the Children's Literature Group, and while I do not in any way regret having read the novel, I am also not (at least at present) interested enough in continuing with the rest of the series (but indeed, I do have to wonder a bit if I would have a better understanding of Dory and of her family etc. if we had read the first novel and not the second novel of the series as our group read, although I do think that the choppy and outline-like, overly simplistic writing style would still and more than likely have bothered me rather much, as while I do not as a rule much enjoy overly involved and too convoluted, too wordy writing, I am equally and massively annoyed with and by styles and narratives that are too standard, that read simplistically and undescriptively).
But alongside of my issues with exaggeration and Dory and Annabelle often seemingly deporting themselves way too exaggeratedly, even more of an annoying and frustrating issue for me personally is in fact and indeed Abby Hanlon's featured writing style, in so far that Dory and the Real True Friend often to and for me feels and reads more like a simplified plot outline that an actually finished novel. For yes, even taking into consideration that Dory and the Real True Friend is a story conceptualised and specifically penned for recently independent readers, Abby Hanlon's text just feels a bit too choppy, jumpy and disjointed for me, with especially the transitions form one episode to the next being far from smooth. And actually, in my humble opinion, the disjointedness, the outline like quality of the text, of the written words, only seems to augment the already exaggerated qualities of Dory's and Rosabelle's imagination (something that might well appeal to the intended audience, to younger children just learning to read, but leaves me both cold and rather unsatisfied and annoyed).
Therefore, while I have most definitely enjoyed Dory and Rosabelle's fantastical play acting and imagination to an extent, the simplicity of the textual presentation, the rather obvious lack of description and narrative expansion always gives me the uncomfortable feeling of having missed something (and perhaps even something essential), of not having been given, not having been presented with the entire story, the entire contents of the same (although I do in fact both realise and even understand that for the intended audience Dory and the Real True Friend might and perhaps even likely hit the proverbial sweet spot and be very much enjoyed if not even a personal favourite). And yes, with this salient fact in mind, I actually still tend to recommend Dory and the Real True Friend for younger children (especially if they enjoy reading about imaginative and strong-willed little girls who are not shy about using and celebrating their imagination), but personally and from a reading pleasure and enjoyment point of view, two stars is all I am personally willing to consider (as I also do not at all like the accompanying cartoon-like illustrations and am frankly more than a bit annoyed at and by the fact that the author, that Abby Hanlon never really actively censures, condemns or even remotely punishes Dory's siblings' verbal nastiness to her, portraying even Dory's parents as at best more than a bit clueless with regard to what I personally can only call and label as nasty sibling-based verbal abuse and bullying and to which Dory is constantly being exposed and subjected to by especially her older "I know everything best" sister).
And finally, I only read Dory and the Real True Friend in the first place because it was selected as a monthly read for the Fiction Club in the Children's Literature Group, and while I do not in any way regret having read the novel, I am also not (at least at present) interested enough in continuing with the rest of the series (but indeed, I do have to wonder a bit if I would have a better understanding of Dory and of her family etc. if we had read the first novel and not the second novel of the series as our group read, although I do think that the choppy and outline-like, overly simplistic writing style would still and more than likely have bothered me rather much, as while I do not as a rule much enjoy overly involved and too convoluted, too wordy writing, I am equally and massively annoyed with and by styles and narratives that are too standard, that read simplistically and undescriptively).
March 13, 2016
This book is absolutely hilarious. I literally laughed out loud many times. Dory has an imaginary monster friend, but her older siblings warn her that she won't make any friends when she goes to Kindergarten if she brings "Mary" with her. At school she meets a girl she wants to be her real true friend, but she's not sure if she should be herself and invite Rosabelle into her imaginary world. This is perfect for my 5 year old daughter who can handle short chapter books, but still likes lots of pictures.
January 1, 2018
This book, with its charming illustrations and light text, is very simple to read. However, unlike many books of the sort, this one has excellent writing: the dialogue shines and the prose pops. The story about an imaginative girl making friends with someone similar at school is adorable, the characters are realistic, and the trip inside small girls' imaginative heads harkens back to my own childhood. I personally prefer the first book in this series, where Dory's imagination occurred at home with household objects, but this story was also great and relatable. I liked how it incorporated other characters the girl's age, and the author has an excellent grasp on how little kids think and talk, whether it's imagining that magic markers will explode or blurting out during classroom Circle Time that their dog threw up. Everything that happens in this book is true to either life or childish imagination, and it's terrific.
May 11, 2015
A disjointed follow-up to a fantastic predecessor. This book felt too much like it was trying to teach kids what to expect at school in terms of activities and how to make friends. I much prefer the Frannie K. Stein series as early chapter books mixing realistic scenes with far-fetched elements.
February 23, 2015
Dory and her imagination continues. All the old favorites are back from book one and we have a new friend who might just be equal to Dory in the imagination ring.
August 30, 2015
My kids favorite author ever. Her books are wonderful!
September 29, 2019
Познавате ли Дори Фантасмагорията? Героинята от едноименната детска книга на Аби Ханлон няма как да не ви спечели, освен ако не сте съвсем закоравял възрастен, от ония, които не могат да рисуват овце и не вярват във феи. Дори е сърцата, с буйно, дори необуздано въображение и… с характер! Първата книжка за чаровното момиченце се превърна в един от моите книжни фаворити за 2018. С игривата си история и симпатичните илюстрации, „Дори Фантасмагорията” сякаш наистина бе уловила есенцията на детството в себе си. А ето, че сега в ръцете си държим продължението – „Дори и истинският верен приятел” (изд. „Еуниката”). Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
August 5, 2017
Even more of the same hilarity that was present in the first, this time with Dory heading to school. What a terrific early chapter series this is!
February 4, 2020
great imagination ....very nice book
June 6, 2020
Menej surodencov v knihe znamena menej nadavok a menej ponizovania. Druha cast odsypala a pacila sa nam ovela viac nez prva. Dokonca matka preukazala nehu!
December 15, 2025
Simpatico. Stravagante. Divertente.
December 31, 2025
This is a very funny and fun book. Her true friend is really nice, and Dory is a good friend, too. Her other friend George acts like a mouse and gets hurt a lot. He is more like an acquaintance.
July 28, 2022
I love looking through Goodreads review of adults being like “I think Dory is annoying and displaying bad behavior!!!” Yes, this is a book for children.
My six year old laughed so hard and we had such a great time reading it together! When Dory cries, I cry. Justice for Mary!
My six year old laughed so hard and we had such a great time reading it together! When Dory cries, I cry. Justice for Mary!
July 16, 2023
Hilarious and very good book for 6-9 years old kids
July 4, 2020
I love how when she saw Rosabelle she knew she was going to be her friend.
February 13, 2017
What a pleasant surprise! I don't love the illustrations, but mostly they're ok w/ me except for the mouths. I don't love the story, because I predicted the ending from the beginning. Short and sweet.
But I do love Dory and the way it doesn't take her too long to stick up for herself, despite what her older siblings say, despite what the social protocols of her peers are. And I especially love Dory's imaginary friends... I so wish I had imaginary friends....
However, I do feel a bit sorry for George and the hopscotch girls - I guess they'll have to find their own ways in the world of first grade. (But seriously, is this how cliques and rivalries begin?)
Thank you, Children's Books group, for alerting me to this author. I have already requested Dory Fantasmagory, the first book of the series.
But I do love Dory and the way it doesn't take her too long to stick up for herself, despite what her older siblings say, despite what the social protocols of her peers are. And I especially love Dory's imaginary friends... I so wish I had imaginary friends....
However, I do feel a bit sorry for George and the hopscotch girls - I guess they'll have to find their own ways in the world of first grade. (But seriously, is this how cliques and rivalries begin?)
Thank you, Children's Books group, for alerting me to this author. I have already requested Dory Fantasmagory, the first book of the series.
July 21, 2015
Dory is starting school and worried that she will have trouble making friends, especially after her older brother and sister give her the advice to NOT be herself.
Luckily, Dory meets a little girl who's active imagination plays well with her own and the two battle Mrs. Gobble Gracker all the while Dory's siblings wonder if her friend is real or imaginary.
FUNNY! Dory is such a lovable character. Reading this book is like taking a stroll through a child's head, the characterization is so spot on. I can't wait for more Dory!!!
Highly recommended for reading aloud with K-2 and for independent reading in grades 2-4.
Luckily, Dory meets a little girl who's active imagination plays well with her own and the two battle Mrs. Gobble Gracker all the while Dory's siblings wonder if her friend is real or imaginary.
FUNNY! Dory is such a lovable character. Reading this book is like taking a stroll through a child's head, the characterization is so spot on. I can't wait for more Dory!!!
Highly recommended for reading aloud with K-2 and for independent reading in grades 2-4.
December 31, 2022
One of the funniest kids books I've ever read. I laughed out loud reading this to my kids and my daughter, knowing which lines were my favorites, can still get a laugh out of me by randomly saying them at the dinner table. This is a GREAT beginning chapter book! My 5 year old has read this on her own at least 5 times.
May 8, 2017
مقدمه ناشر: خواهش می کنم بزرگ نشید!ما هم یه روز مثل شما و هم سن و سال شما بودیم
خوش حال بودیم و بی دلیل می خندیدیم
اما نمی دونم که بهمون یاد داد که:
بهتره زود بزرگ شید،بزرگ شدن و بزرگ بودن، بهتره... و امروز که بزرگ شدیم مثل چی پشیمونیم!
خوش حال بودیم و بی دلیل می خندیدیم
اما نمی دونم که بهمون یاد داد که:
بهتره زود بزرگ شید،بزرگ شدن و بزرگ بودن، بهتره... و امروز که بزرگ شدیم مثل چی پشیمونیم!
August 18, 2015
Loved this one more than the first. I hope Dory is shared a lot at schools this year.
September 22, 2022
دلم میخواهد دُری را بغل کنم بس که دخترک شیرین و بامزهای است. نمیدانم چرا ویولت و لوک قدرش را نمیدانند. من که از خدام بود همچین خواهر کوچولویی میداشتم.
April 23, 2018
First sentence: My name is Dory, but everyone calls me Rascal.
Did I enjoy Dory and the Real True Friend by Abby Hanlon? Yes, definitely. Did I enjoy it more than the first book in the series? I'm not sure. Not that a second book has to be more enjoyable than the first book. Not so long as it is at least as enjoyable as the first book.
So essentially, the premise of this one is: CAN DORY MAKE A REAL BEST FRIEND? That is the challenge given to her by her older siblings. They are confident the answer is no. That their sister is just WEIRD and DIFFERENT. Who would WANT to spend time with her...as she is?! Can she do it?! Read and see for yourself!
First, I do love Dory. I still love Dory. She's pretty much the same Dory we got to know oh-so-well in the first book. That being said, if readers haven't read the first book, I don't think they'd have any problem at all just picking up the second book. It won't take long for Dory to make an impression on readers.
Second, I do love her family for the most part. Do they always "get" Dory? No, not really. Dory surprises them in this one, I must say! They "thought" they knew her so well, that they could tell the difference between reality and Dory's fantastic imagination.
Third, I really appreciate that so much of this one was set at school. Part of me wishes it had been clear what grade--if any--Dory was in. We do know that this is her second year. That could mean two years of preschool, or, one year of preschool and kindergarten, or even kindergarten and first grade. (Though Dory doesn't seem like a first grader to me.) It doesn't really matter. Dory is DORY even at school. Whether Dory is purposely bringing her imaginary best friends with her to school or not. She can't turn her imagination off. Everyone KNOWS that Dory will never make a "true" "real" friend if she keeps hanging out with her imaginary ones, right?!
Fourth, I do love the illustrations. They really add to the overall Dory experience. And these two books are to be experienced make no mistake.
Did I enjoy Dory and the Real True Friend by Abby Hanlon? Yes, definitely. Did I enjoy it more than the first book in the series? I'm not sure. Not that a second book has to be more enjoyable than the first book. Not so long as it is at least as enjoyable as the first book.
So essentially, the premise of this one is: CAN DORY MAKE A REAL BEST FRIEND? That is the challenge given to her by her older siblings. They are confident the answer is no. That their sister is just WEIRD and DIFFERENT. Who would WANT to spend time with her...as she is?! Can she do it?! Read and see for yourself!
First, I do love Dory. I still love Dory. She's pretty much the same Dory we got to know oh-so-well in the first book. That being said, if readers haven't read the first book, I don't think they'd have any problem at all just picking up the second book. It won't take long for Dory to make an impression on readers.
Second, I do love her family for the most part. Do they always "get" Dory? No, not really. Dory surprises them in this one, I must say! They "thought" they knew her so well, that they could tell the difference between reality and Dory's fantastic imagination.
Third, I really appreciate that so much of this one was set at school. Part of me wishes it had been clear what grade--if any--Dory was in. We do know that this is her second year. That could mean two years of preschool, or, one year of preschool and kindergarten, or even kindergarten and first grade. (Though Dory doesn't seem like a first grader to me.) It doesn't really matter. Dory is DORY even at school. Whether Dory is purposely bringing her imaginary best friends with her to school or not. She can't turn her imagination off. Everyone KNOWS that Dory will never make a "true" "real" friend if she keeps hanging out with her imaginary ones, right?!
Fourth, I do love the illustrations. They really add to the overall Dory experience. And these two books are to be experienced make no mistake.
March 4, 2021
The second of five titles in the Dory Fantasmagory series, The Real True Friend, finds the inventive heroine making a school friend. Because Dory has imaginary friends, her family believes that this friend, Rosabelle, isn’t real. Like Dory, Rosabelle has an active imagination, and the two soon embark on fantastic adventures. Despite its whimsical tone, the story and characters in this early chapter book are realistic. Abby Hanlon’s hilarious writing and cartoon illustrations are perfect for children grades 1-3.
Check this book out from the Villa Park Public Library!
Check this book out from the Villa Park Public Library!
June 27, 2019
I read this with my five-year-old son and when we reached the last page, he took the bookmark out of my hand and placed it on page one.
"We can just start right here again tomorrow," he said.
"There are other books about Dory. Do you want to read those?" I asked.
"Yes, that will be great. We can read them right after we read this one again."
"We can just start right here again tomorrow," he said.
"There are other books about Dory. Do you want to read those?" I asked.
"Yes, that will be great. We can read them right after we read this one again."
November 21, 2017
Not quite as good as the first but still charming and funny. My boys and I love these books.
August 21, 2019
My daughter loves these!
December 9, 2019
Brilliant read aloud for young kiddos.
August 7, 2020
This story was so much better than the first, in our opinion! Funny, a bit of mischief and just some plain belly laugh moments!
December 18, 2020
This was GREAT 😊 I loved Dory’s imagination 💭 and the wacky humor was super wacky I LOVE ❤️ this book!!! 💩💩💩
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews