Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique

Author: Jane O’Connor
 Illustrated by: Robin Preiss Glasser
ISBN: 978-0-06-123592-4
Publisher: HarperCollins
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It’s Fancy Nancy’s little sister’s birthday! While on a shopping trip for fabulous birthday supplies and presents, Nancy’s mom lets her stop at Belle’s Fabulous Fashion Boutique where one of the beautiful lace fans Nancy wants is on sale! Nancy doesn’t have enough money for the fan because she bought her sister’s birthday gift, so she decides to open her own fabulous fashion boutique and sell some of her gently used items to fabulous buyers! Fancy Nancy’s store is a huge success but will she have enough for her fan? When it rains on her sister’s party day, Fancy Nancy comes to the rescue and turns and outside pirate party into an inside fashion extravaganza!

4 year olds “Reading” & Thoughts:
Fancy Nancy and the fashion show. Fancy Nancy went to the store to buy her sister a black eye patch. Then she got her purse and bought it. Fancy Nancy built her own fashion store to sell stuff and buy a fan. People bought stuff. Her little sister wanted her rhinestone necklace but a friend bought it. Her sister through a fit. She felt bad so Fancy Nancy went to the twins’ house and gave a necklace and bracelet to get the necklace back. She gave it to her sister on her birthday with the eye patch. Her sister got the rhinestone necklace. At the party it starts to rain and they go inside. Her little sister says my party is not fun. Then they have a fashion show and walk like models with bananas on their head. Then they have the birthday cake!

I loved it so much. I like to read it again and again. I want to get more Fancy Nancy books for Christmas. The pictures are pretty! I like them. Fancy Nancy was nice to her sister.

2 year old version:
Fancy Nancy! She has an umbrella in case it rains. This girl Jo Jo goes to store with Fancy Nancy girl. They go to Hy-Vee. [Grocery store we have] Jo Jo doesn’t have an umbrella. They are playing in the yard. The daddy climbs the ladder. The mommy does not. They dress up in the princess room. Why is Jo Jo Crying? She’s crying on the ground. She has a necklace, she’s happy. Their having a birthday party. They sing happy birthday to Jo Jo. They play dress up. They put bananas on their head!

Mom’s Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. The book is meant for children ages 4-7 however I think children that are 3 years could also enjoy this book. My youngest is only two and she plops herself down to read this book often! Her version of the story is bits and pieces of what she hears along with her very keen interpretation of the illustrations, which are beautiful. I have seen and heard about Fancy Nancy but this is the first copy of a Fancy Nancy that we have read together. I really wish I had introduced the book earlier instead of waiting until my daughter fit the age category. Both my two (soon to be 3) and four (soon to be 5) year olds enjoyed this book!

I particularly loved the way the book uses “big” words and then explains them in smaller words. For example is the text below.

“Welcome to my boutique,” I say. “That’s French for fancy store.” Or “I demonstrate-that’s fancy for show-how to do it.”

Examples like the two above are throughout the entire book. My husband even commented on it while we were reading the book. My girls really enjoyed learning the “fancy” words and I was thrilled for them to learn larger words with the same meanings as the simple words they use daily. This was an impressive aspect of the book for both my husband and I.

I also enjoyed the illustrations immensely. Ms. Glasser is very talented. We all enjoyed the pictures and there is quite a lot to enjoy. I would recommend this to anyone who has little girls. The book had fun, values, education, and a high interest level. The combination of all of these things makes for a great book! We have started adding to our Fancy Nancy collection and will keep doing so.