Review by Booklist Review
Kids who have outgrown the Fancy Nancy picture books and leveled readers, but not the girl herself, will be delighted which is a fancy way of saying happy that she is back to star in a detective-themed chapter book series. With her pink trench coat, a rhinestone encrusted magnifying glass, and an official sleuthing headquarters, all Nancy and best friend Bree are missing is a crime to solve. Soon there's not one, but two the Case of the Missing Marble (her teacher's prized blue marble is stolen) and the Secret of the Twins (one twin is acting highly suspicious). Both stories offer up just the right amount of clues and trails gone cold for the age group. Once again, O'Connor's exuberant text and Glasser's joyful illustrations work in harmony. Nancy's definitions of crime-related vocabulary (motive, investigating, deciphering) add to the fun. There's even a secret language shared between Nancy and Bree, which readers can follow to decode a message at the end. As Nancy Clancy says, Nancy Drew would be so proud.--Kelley, Ann Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Fancy Nancy pirouettes into middle-grade territory with the launch of a mystery series that has her emulating another famous Nancy-Nancy Drew. The stylish sleuth assumes the role with elan, dressed for the job in a pink trench coat and sunglasses, carrying a rhinestone-studded magnifying glass. Initially frustrated by the lack of cases to crack ("I wish we lived someplace like River Heights," she complains. "In River Heights, criminals are lurking around every corner"), Nancy springs into action when her teacher's prized blue marble goes missing. Nancy shows both her trademark flair for translating ("Ooh la la! Nancy felt all tingly just saying the word 'motive.' It meant the reason for doing something bad") and her penchant for humorous exaggeration. As in Nancy's earlier picture books and I Can Read titles, her affectionate interactions with her younger sister, JoJo, and their parents ground the story. O'Connor and Glasser are as in synch as ever, and readers who have grown up with Fancy Nancy will be thrilled to follow her new career path. Ages 7-10. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Fancy Nancy is back, this time in a chapter book. Nancy Clancy loves fancy words here as much as she does in her popular picture-book series. Her interests are changing, though, as she grows up. An avid Nancy Drew fan, she and best friend Bree have a new Sleuth Headquarters and are excited to solve their first case. When their teacher's special blue marble disappears, everyone in the class becomes a suspect. Their targets of suspicion change from moment to moment, leading the new detectives on a number of wild goose chases. When the real criminal is uncovered, the girls are forced to examine their assumptions. Fans of the Fancy Nancy series will enjoy reading about an old friend in a new, more grown-up setting. Fully fleshed-out secondary characters, especially Nancy's parents and Mr. Dudeny, Nancy's teacher, create a nice backdrop for this new series aimed at transitioning readers. It's hard to write mysteries for a chapter-book audience, but O'Connor creates a plot with subtle clues and red herrings that allow readers to puzzle out the mystery along with Nancy. Nancy's love of colorful language makes it fun to discover new vocabulary (motive, accessory, obstinate) while solving a dandy mystery. Glasser's frequent black-and-white illustrations will help connect this new series with the earlier one. Nancy is one sassy gumshoe. Her fans will enjoy growing up with her. (Mystery. 7-10)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
