Fancy Nancy    by Jane O'Connor & Robin Preiss Glasser Order:  USA  Can HarperCollins, 2005 (2005) Hardcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch Nancy is a little girl who seeks the finer things in life and can turn anything ordinary or plain into something extraordinary or fancy. She accessorizes, puts frilly toothpicks in her sandwiches, and substitutes more sophisticated words for everyday ones. For example, she would never think to use the word purple, when fuchsia will suffice. Nancy's problem is that her family is as plain as she is its opposite, so she gives them lessons in how to be fancy. But when they all go out to celebrate with parfaits (a fancy way of saying sundaes), she trips and falls at the restaurant, and suddenly doesn't feel so good about herself any more, until her parents remind her that they love her in the simplest way possible. Fancy Nancy is one of the most charming picture books I have read this year. I love Nancy's confidence in herself and her way of looking at life. The whimsical illustrations are as delightful as the text. I know this will be a household favorite for years to come. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews