Happy May! Dr. Toughlove’s May 2023 book review is below.
Ooo-la-la! Is your favorite color fuchsia? Do you like to write with a pen that has a plume? Even if the answer to these questions is no, Dr. Toughlove thinks you will enjoy the book “Fancy Nancy,” written by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. The team of O’Connor and Preiss Glasser have combined to write over 100 titles and their “Fancy Nancy” books have consistently been on the New York Times best seller list.
Nancy has a larger-than-life personality (to say the least), and likes all things fancy – her clothes, her room, her dolls, and even her sandwiches. Unfortunately, her mother, father and sister are BORING! She tries to inject some razzle dazzle into their lives – with mixed results. Dr. Toughlove doesn’t want to give the story away, but Nancy, who is an aspiring movie star, learns a valuable lesson about the importance of accessories, appearances and family love.
Dr. Toughlove is a great fan of a well-written picture book that exemplifies a love for language and storytelling. In this regard, “Fancy Nancy” gets an A plus. The use of descriptive words (posh, accessories and frilly just to name a few) are sprinkled throughout the book, and Robin Preiss Glasser’s colorful and humorous illustrations capture Nancy’s effervescent personality to perfection.
“Fancy Nancy” is an excellent read aloud book and adults usually enjoy it as much as children do. Dr. Toughlove is confident that once you read the first “Fancy Nancy” book, you will want to read the rest of the series. These books are enchanting and entertaining, but also contain many subtle messages that are fun to explore with young readers. As is often the case, the children will see aspects of the story that the adults might miss. “Fancy Nancy” is available at the Queen Anne’s County Library and is recommended for children aged 3-6.