Explorer Extraordinaire! (Fancy Nancy Series)
Author: Jane OConnor
For the fanciest girl around, the outdoors are out of this world! Fancy Nancy and her best friend, Bree, set out to explore the fascinating world of wildflowers, trees, leaves, birds, and, of course, butterflies in their exclusively glamorous Explorers' Club. With recipes for pinecone bird feeders and extra-fancy lemonade, an official club bird, and an exclusive map of the territory, Fancy Nancy is one Explorer Extraordinaire!
Take a look at Nancy's very own enlightening discoveries and find out just how fancy the outdoors can be!
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3—Nancy returns with all of the sophistication, aplomb, and humor she displayed in her previous books. She and her best friend, Bree, have created an exclusive club (they are the sole members) for their nature studies. The Explorers Extraordinaire have official membership certificates, a dress code, and, most importantly, a clubhouse. Their mission is to search for bugs, birds, and leaves in their backyards and record what they find in their notebooks. Back in their clubhouse, the explorers do additional research to learn more about their discoveries. When younger siblings ask to join the club, they are rejected for lack of maturity. After finding a baby bird that has fallen from his nest, the junior explorers are allowed to join. This slim title is packed with a lot of information about nature, but the vocabulary makes it too challenging for beginning readers. That aside, it is one of Nancy's most captivating adventures. The pages overflow with her personality and style. Text and illustrations pull together to show readers what a smart and complex character she is. A sure winner for eager young explorers.—Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME
Fancy Nancy
Author: Jane OConnor
Meet Nancy, who believes that more is ALWAYS better when it comes to being fancy. From the top of her tiara down to her sparkly studded shoes, Nancy is determined to teach her family a thing or two about being fancy.
How Nancy transforms her parents and little sister for one enchanted evening makes for a story that is funny and warm — with or without the frills.
Publishers Weekly
With exuberance, elan and lots of heart, O'Connor (the Nina, Nina Ballerina books) and Glasser (A Is for Abigail) prove that the bosom of the family has ample room for even the most outr individualist. Channeling the spirits of Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn-whose pictures adorn her extravagantly decorated room-Nancy tries to make the world a more flamboyant place, starting with her decidedly down-to-earth family ("They never even ask for sprinkles," she notes as they exit an ice cream parlor). She offers her parents and little sister a free tutorial in all things fancy (yellow is plain, gold is fancy), which they gamely attend, and they even agree to go to a restaurant wearing Nancy-orchestrated frou-frou (Mom's ensemble includes Christmas ornament earrings and a feather boa). But when Nancy commits a faux pas of major proportions (she trips with a tray full of ice cream) she comes to realize that her family's love for her is as bottomless as her collection of hair accessories. O'Connor captures Nancy's dramatic precociousness without making her sound like a snoot ("My favorite color is fuchsia. That's a fancy way of saying purple"); she comes across as a genuinely creative spirit rather than an imperious fashionista. Glasser's pictures brim with comic detail and sparkle like a bauble from Tiffany. Like O'Connor, she empathizes with Nancy's over-the-top sensibility, yet gently grounds the heroine in the steady (if bemused) embrace of her family. Ages 4-7. (Jan.)
Robyn Gioia - Children's Literature
When my little girl was five, she told me I did not dress her pretty enough. She was a "fancy Nancy." Fancy Nancy is the heart and soul of all the little girls out there who love frills, plumes, color, and loads of style. Everyday things must be fancy. Nancy explains it this way, "I like to write my name with a pen that has a plume. That is a fancy way of saying feather. And I can't wait to learn French because everything in French sounds fancy." This fascination leaves Nancy a little frustrated because her family just does not understand. Lace-trimmed socks really do help her play better. And sandwiches really do taste better with frilly toothpicks. Then she decides it is time to teach her family how to be fancy. The story is delightful and sure to tickle the fancy bone of all girls, young and old. The artwork is eye candy for the heart. Nancy is an adorable young lady with curly hair, frilly adornments, and a melting smile. She is someone you will fall in love with. Each page contains a simple sentence illustrated by a whimsical scene. 2006, HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 4 to 8.
School Library Journal
PreS-K-Young Nancy, like her literary predecessors Eloise and Olivia, is a glamour queen dropped into a boring world-"Nobody in my family is fancy at all. They never even ask for sprinkles." She determines to rescue her relatives from their humdrum existence by giving them lessons and accessorizing their mundane wardrobes. A situation that is charming when observed by adults in real life doesn't translate into a successful picture book. Children pretending to be fabulous creatures is appealing when it is innocent and unforced. This book, despite Glasser's wonderfully energetic artwork, is ultimately a story told by adults for adults.-Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, ME
Kirkus Reviews
A tot with a penchant for panache is at the center of this playful tale that celebrates marching to the beat of your own drummer. Nancy, a little girl enraptured by all things ornate, is dismayed by her family's distinctly conventional tendencies. In her quest to convince her loved ones that the sundry trappings of the fabulous life are actually sheer necessities, Nancy embarks upon a campaign of family beautification by offering fancy living instructions. O'Connor deftly conveys Nancy's precocious yet disarming delivery: Nancy is a hoot and her fashion-first message will resonate with many budding divas among the preschool set. Glasser's vivacious, vividly colored illustrations capture the exuberance with which tiny fashonistas embrace the life of the glitterati. Aspiring converts to Nancy's tony lifestyle will find Glasser's humorous depictions of Nancy in all her glory inspirational, whether she's dressed for the evening or making over her family. The poignant message about love needing no embellishment adds a heartwarming touch to this fun-filled tale. (Picture book. 4-6)
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