HI Friends!
This week hasn’t been as crazy as the last couple ones but I haven’t written any more than usual. Guess I’ve been catching up on sleep. Yesterday I did a reading at another elementary school. Actually it was two small ones who shared a librarian. I woke up sick and throwing up. It was hard being enthusiastic about “Annie’s Special Day” and telling time but the kids seemed to enjoy it. I was faking it, however. It didn’t occur to me to reschedule. I was almost out the door when I lost my breakfast. In the years of hospital nursing and even with home health one just “toughs it out” because substitutes are so hard to find and if you call in sick, you must do so before three hours of showing up, so management can make other arrangements. And in this case, there is no management. The only thing binding is a commitment to a contract between me and the librarian.
As usual I have two gifts for you.
Want to know why most authors don’t talk about the money they make when they have a book out? It’s embarrassing. That’s why. http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/hey_amazon_wheres_my_money/
And on a memoir piece by one of my favorite bloggers, Suzicate “Cheering for life” http://heartandcraft.blogspot.com/2013/03/guest-post-cheering-for-life.html with her usual optimism for the good in people. Also lets you link up to her new book. “Stepping into the Wilderness”.
Now for more of the good stuff:
Perfect Picture Book Friday/ Fancy Nancy
Title: Fancy Nancy
Author and Illustrator: Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser
Publisher: Harper Collins, fiction, 2006,
Age for: four to eight
Themes: Costume and dress, Manners and customs, Family life,
Resources: coloring pages: For paper dolls and more activities including a spelling bee go here :
From the Jacket: 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 frills.
Why I loved it: Nancy tries so hard to be fancy and in the end just turns out to be human with mistakes. The ending is stupendous (a fancy word for wonderful.) and I don’t want to ruin the surprise. Her family is one of the kinds that deserve to go out for saint hood and her wise parents just end up loving her all the more for her desire to be fancy. This Picture book is named one of the 100 top best picture books to read and I was surprised it wasn’t in the Susanna Leonard Hill’s list yet. Lucky me!
This is what , Erik, the kid who reviews books says every Friday ,
Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people.
Have you heard of Fancy Nancy and/or read any of her related books?
Have a safe and lovely weekend, y’all. Xoxo”
Do you think you will like this book? Why or why not?
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Nancy gets really Fancy doesn’t she? lol
Images for Fancy Nancy
Clarbojahn's Blog 
Oh what an adorable book. Just look at that illustration, that face! I can see little girls wishing to be just like her, tiara and all..lol. Thank you, Clar so much for bringing this one to PPBF.
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Yes, It is clear that her little sister adores and idolizes her from the illustrations. It is a lovely book. I hadn’t heard of these Nancy books till this week and now I am so amazed at all the series. I think I want to read some more of them. 🙂
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I have read some and feel the illustrations are worth the price of admission. They are the real strength.
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Yes, I see what you mean. The illustrations tell the real story don’t they?
Thanks for visiting and stopping by. 🙂
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The author had a brilliant idea for this series of books! My granddaughter just loved them when she was younger. And, they do carry a message and teach kids fancy words.:
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Yes, the one activity I saw that was educational was a spelling bee. lol. 🙂
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Despite Fancy Nancy’s fame I have yet to read any, so this is just the prompt and reminder I need. Thank you, Clar!
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Hope you like them as much as I do. This was my first one, and I’m glad I read it. 🙂
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The amount of work that went into those gorgeous illustrations really is stupendous.
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Lol. Widder.
Did you borrow that word from Nancy?
Thanks for visiting and stopping by. 🙂
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Clar, I do hope you feel better today. That SALON article was an eyeopener. I had already pinned it on my Pinterest board. My two granddaughters are Fancy Nancy fans. The eldest, Reagan, had a Fancy Nancy themed birthday party last year for her 5th. I have the books pinned to my Review and HOOK Kids on Reading boards on Pinterest. Take care of yourself mate – we can’t replace you, you know!!!
Books for Kids – Manuscript Critiques
http://www.margotfinke.com
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Thanks, Margot. I am better today.
Thanks for sharing on Pinterest and all you do. Thanks for sharing about your five year old granddaughter’s birthday party. I’ll visit your pinterest boards soon. 🙂
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All the little girls I know LOVE Fancy Nancy. Fancy Nancy and Dora the Explorer. What does that say about little girls these days? I don’t know but I get to explore the worlds of both these girls a lot! I love them both!
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Thanks, Reading.
I feel far away from five year old girls and boys. My readings at schools don’t give me enough license to talk to them privately so still strangers to them. and they to me. 🙂
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My kindergarten girls love Fancy Nancy. I have felt a bit of an aversion to her since some days I cannot find the patience to deal with another girl in a tiara, tutu and dripping glitter – and the accompanying attitude. Maybe I should take one home from the library and give it a chance 🙂
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Yes, that may help with your attitude. Sometimes finding out about how a fad started in the first place is often a way to figure out how to deal with it in the present place. good luck.
Come back and see me anytime, Sandi! 🙂
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Oh dear, Clar. How awful to do a visit feeling sick. Hope you are feeling better.
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Yes, I don’t recommend faking it too often as a way to get the kids to like you. I’ve heard much too often that kids can tell how you’re feeling about being there keenly. 🙂
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Hi Clar,
This is my third attempt at trying to leave a comment. Not an issue on your end.
The first time the wind blew out the internet.
The second time the computer died–the battery needed recharging.
So I’d better hurry and leave a comment before…
I’m still here.
So sorry to hear you felt so awful. You’re a trooper. 🙂
I like Fancy Nancy’s spunky attitude.
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Hope you are feeling better, Clar! I do understand about not wanting to disappoint the kids…I’ve gone to school visits in pretty bad weather…hoping my car would not slip and slide on the ice.
I do love Fancy Nancy…I reviewed a different one in the series some months ago…and was ready to hate it…but I didn’t. There is a real appeal in this character.
Thanks also for the links…I will have to go and check them out. It’s funny because I’m a little active on a couple of Google+ parenting and kid lit communities and a guy just posted a question about whether anyone knew of a self-published children’s author who was VERY successful. 🙂 My answer to him was that there aren’t many VERY successful children’s authors…traditionally published or self-published…after all, how many Eric Carles are there? 🙂 I think he was talking about monetary success, not whether kids like reading the books. 🙂 So I am interested to see read that link.
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enjoy the sites you reference..thank you…JD
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