Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy, a picture book written by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, is about one little girl's efforts to teach her ordinary family how to be fancy.

Nancy “believes more is ALWAYS better, when it comes to being fancy”, but her family just doesn't understand. Lace-trimmed socks really do help you play soccer better!  Finally after many failed attempts of fancy intervention, she gets the idea to teach her family how to be fancy. With Nancy's help and unique accessories, they are transformed into an extraordinarily posh looking family wearing a plethora of bows, flowers, and feathers.

The illustrations (a fancy word for drawings) in this book are well done and include all the details a fancy person might want to see, including sparkles on the cover! Glasser does an excellent job of showcasing Nancy's creative spirit and glamorous sense of style on each page. To do this, Nancy is the most colorful character on each page, covered head to toe in all shades of fuchsia (Nancy's fancy way of saying purple), while her family and home are composed of simple greys and browns.

The writing style of O'Connor is also wonderfully well done and provides a clear window into Nancy's ornate world, while hitting home with a sweet, simple, family message. As the story progresses O'Connor uses many fancy words to replace the plain ones, and by doing so, breathes more life into Nancy's ornate personality. This use of vocabulary also serves as a great segue into lessons about synonyms and the many wonderful adjectives out there.

Fancy Nancy is a wonderful story for anyone, children and adults alike, needing some fashion inspiration without adding any unnecessary princess ideals, and is just one part of the popular series of Fancy Nancy picture books. So put on your laciest socks, nestle into your coziest seat, and get a little fancy!