Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas

Fancy Nancy

by Jane O'Connor, Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator)

What could be fancier than Christmas?

Presents with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations, Christmas cookies with sprinkles—and who could forget the tree? After all, there is no such thing as too much tinsel. Ooh la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited about decorating the Christmas tree. She bought a brand-new sparkly tree topper with her own money and has been waiting for Christmas to come. But when things don't turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous?

In this merriest of stories from bestselling duo Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser, Nancy proves once again that a little fancying up can go a long, festive way!

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday, Fiction, Family, Realistic Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 3, 2009

About the author

Since the publication of Fancy Nancy, Jane O'Connor's closet now boasts so many boas, tiaras, and sparkly ensembles that sometimes friends do not recognize her on the street. She still resides (that's a fancy word for lives) in New York City with her family and their canine companion, Arrow. --from the publisher's website

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best line: "Dad says we must compromise, that means we end up with the tree my mom wants." I burst out laughing. That was a cute touch. The kids didn't get why I was laughing. Funny stuff. Since my niece changed what she thinks is pretty and she is no longer fancy, I really appreciate these books. My niece used to be fancy and now she is more 90s grunge. C'est la Vie. She's still very cool, but I miss those days she wants to wear a princess dress to school.

This is simply the Fanciest Christmas book out there. They even make their house fancy for this one. I loved this little book. I'm all sentimental.

The niece kinda liked it too, grudgingly. She gave it 4 stars with some coaxing. The nephew gave it 3 stars.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

"Oh la la" meets "fa la la la la".
This book has the adorable story I've come to expect with Fancy Nancy books as well as all that glorious vocabulary.
Great for starting conversations about holiday traditions, family, and value of patience. --Alexis S.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the last Fancy Nancy books I'd yet to get my hands on, so when the e-book came up in Amazon's bargain section, I snapped up a copy. As one of the original storybooks with illustrations by Robin Preiss Glasser, its charming and detailed pictures perfectly capture the holiday season in the Clancy household.

As is the case in the best of these stories, Nancy finds herself in a bit of an unpleasant situation--due to her own actions. I like the way the story was both reassuring and instructive, showing the adults helping Nancy deal with her feelings and using her skills to come up with a solution. (Yeah, that sounds vague. I don't want to spoil too much of the story.)

There's plenty of fanciness here in the illustrations. I loved looking at Nancy's outfits throughout the book. She's exquisitely fancy here, and at the top of her game.

This is a sweet family story for the holidays. I'd recommend it to fans of Fancy Nancy, of course... but also to those who are simply looking for sweet Christmas picture books. You don't need to be familiar with Nancy to enjoy this one.

Quotable moment:

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book! Story and illustrations are great! Every part of the story reminds me of when I was young and the great anticipation of the arrival of Christmas. Not a kid anymore but I still feel the same way!

Great, feel good story for everyone! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄🤶🏻🧑🏻‍🎄🎅🏻☃️

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fancy Nancy books make me feel all cozy and sparkly so I was thrilled when I realized she is now starring in a Christmas book (the most cozy and sparkly holiday of the year, for me!) I'm not convinced it is an outstanding story, but it is cute and fun and full of the spirit of the holidays and the illustrations are winning. (This book, unlike many others in the series, is actually illustrated by Glasser so three cheers for her!)

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story with amazing illustrations :)

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas


Fancy Nancy, what an adorable "fancy girl" she is, and wait until you read about her Christmas! Presents with elegant wrapping paper, fancy cookies, and wait until you see the tree topper Nancy purchased with her own money. But me things go awry, can Nancy still have a "splendiferous Christmas"?

MY THOUGHTS - This book is so very adorable. Targeted for the (4-8) age group, the book is beautifully illustrated by: Robin Preiss Glasser. There are some great new words for the little readers as well:

* aroma - nancy says: "a fancy word for smell"
* heirlooms - nancy says: "fancy for thinks that are old and valuable".
* delectable - nancy says: "fancy for yummy".
* pleading - nancy says: "like begging only fancier" AND........
* splendiferous - nancy says " only one word describes how magnificent, joyous and sparkly Christmas morning is"

Truly a delightful holiday read for children (and adults too)!

[Erica Eberhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent book for little girls. The bright pages and cute character of Nancy is captivating for children but each page also includes a lesson of learning a new 'advanced' word fro a young child with an example of what it means being included. I've always wondered what the fascination has been with Fancy Nancy and I'm glad I finally picked up one of the books (this one) and read it. I'll gladly send these books to my niece (who is three) so that she can also enjoy the bright pages and learn more advanced word. I love and support any book that educates kids in a manner where they don't exactly realize they're being educated, they think they're being entertained.

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas illustrations in this story are gorgeous. This is a great read if you want to get into the Christmas spirit.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this Christmas book.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awe, cute. Made me smile

[Sally Linford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those rare children's books that I enjoy reading as much as my children. All the Fancy Nancys fall into this category. Here's what's so great about this one:
* Brief, tight prose--a lot happens in just a few words. Very refreshing. And I love her use of present tense--it's very immediate. You live the story as it happens, rather than hearing the report after the fact (past tense).
* Lovely portrayal of real family life (the parents love each other, grandparents swoop in to save the day).
* Brilliant illustrations. My pre-schoolers can "read" it themselves, the picts communicate the story so well.

Once again, thank you, Jane and Robin!

[TheAccidental Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loses a star because of seasonality. We will probably only read this book at Christmastime. But still has the cool, engaging, complex illustrations and the "big words" in the other Fancy Nancy we have read so far.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all like Fancy Nancy, except Lamby (6), who has decided that she is ridiculous. Where did I go wrong? 🤪

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy and her family are caught up in Christmas preparations, and the wait for not only Santa, but Grandpa, when the unthinkable occurs. Luckily, a kindly older man has a suggestion that saves the day.

This was my first visit with Fancy Nancy, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Looking forward to more of her adventures.

[Katherine Cowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because this introduced my daughter to Fancy Nancy. And she adores Fancy Nancy. If I try to get her to wear a normal dress for church she says, "No, I want my Fancy Nancy dress!" and then I put her in her fanciest dress.

The Christmas story in the book is delightful, and now I know what series to buy my daughter for her birthday.

This would be fun to use in a college rhetoric class to teach different levels of formality/informality and diction. Some day I want to teach a class that uses picture books to teach rhetoric.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Fancy Nancy winner, with some good lessons and wonderful busy illustrations.

[Sabrina Valenti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part of the famous Fancy Nancy series, in this book Fancy Nancy is getting ready for Christmas. She is decorating her house, making cookies, going caroling and decorating her Christmas tree. Nancy has a little mishap with the tree topper but no fear because she makes herself an even fancier one.

This book is great to read around Christmas time. It goes through all the Christmas traditions that children might have. I really love all of the Fancy Nancy series. I love how even a cute and simple way the author is actually teaching new words to children. I highly recommend this book.

This books would connect with any other Fancy Nancy series if you would like to look at the author or this would be great to read around the holiday season.

"I love Christmas so much. It is important to find a tree with a wonderful aroma. (That's a fancy word for smell.)"

[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute Fancy Nancy book celebrating Christmas. The pictures are gorgeous an the story is cute. It's a story about fancy, family heirlooms and family traditions.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are wonderful. I feel like finding the nearest toddler and reading it to the little munchkin.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the Christmas themed version of the Fancy Nancy book, and it describes the misadventures that Nancy gets up to when trying to create a fancy Christmas

[Stella Schaefer-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fancy Nancy and I both love Christmas!

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that got me to love Fancy Nancy.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe this is my first Fancy Nancy book. So cute! I love how it introduces new vocabulary, and Nancy is just so quirky and darling. I was so sad at the end when her hard-earned tree tropper breaks. My poor heart.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

fancy nancy is so fancy.so fancy at christmas.

[McCall Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is no secret that Fancy Nancy loves all things Christmas. She describes all the things that are necessary in order to have a Splendiferous Christmas. Everything has gone as planned for Nancy until her grandfather is late for decorating the tree. As she patiently waits she notices her dog is getting restless and decides to give it its present early. What Nancy doesn't know is that it will throw her Splendiferous Christmas for a loop.

This book uses full-page illustrations which makes it very enjoyable. In one picture Nancy is seen outside of her house that is covered in plain white snow. The reader is in for a surprise when they turn the page to see the same house decked out in festive Christmas decorations! Not only is the house, the lawn, the mailbox, and even the snowman out front covered in Christmas; Fancy Nancy herself is dressed in a Christmas themed outfit! This small detail takes the love that Nancy has for Christmas a little farther, the child is able to see her attire compared to everyone else's and notice that she really loves Christmas.

In the text there are small sentences in parenthesis that are used as side notes in Nancy's story. Anytime Nancy uses a word that a child may not know she follows it by "(that is a fancy way to say ...)" This is a good way to incorporate words that a child may not hear every day such as the word heirloom, which is "fancy for things that are old and valuable." In the book, Nancy creates her own tree topper which she says will be an heirloom in the future. Nancy has learned the meaning of the word and an example was created for the readers to learn it too.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

We've enjoyed the Fancy Nancy books we've read so far. This one was enjoyable as well. I think there have been other stories I've enjoyed more in this series, but it was still cute nevertheless. I like that the book gives a big word and then explains it. It's a great way to build vocabulary. Also, it is a book that kids could read themselves and still learn new words - not that I'm pro "let your child figure it out". I definitely what my child to come to me to ask what a word means.

This was a cute book but it didn't have a super strong Christmas theme. It occurred during Christmastime, and she had a special tree topper, but the focus of the story wasn't about Christmas. It was about waiting and even though something bad happened, you can still make the best of things. It had a good message, it just wasn't as centric on Christmas as I'd like -- but that's ok, there's nothing wrong with that. I liked that she created an heirloom with her grandfather. My favorite thing to do is get our Christmas tree and look at each ornament we have - they all have a story and reminder about them - whether it's a special trip we took, commemorates a special event in our lives (marriage, baby, home), or the loss of someone special (Baby Boy Ray). Now Nancy has something to remember every Christmas and to pass down to her children someday.

It was a cute book and my daughter always loves the illustrations. We look forward to reading even more Fancy Nancy books. I'm undecided on whether this will become an annual Christmas book or not, but the more I think about the heirloom aspect of the story, I think it will.

[Alex Sandiland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy is super excited for Christmas, it is her favorite time of year! Nancy and her family indulge in the Christmas spirit by decorating their house, wrapping presents, making delicious Christmas cookies, and finding the perfect Christmas tree. Once everything is ready to go, Nancy and her family wait for their grandpa to come over. Nancy gets so anxious that she decides to put on the fancy tree topper that she bought with all of her birthday money. Still waiting for their grandpa to arrive, Nancy decides to play with her dog Frenchy, and accidentally knocks the tree down. Oh no, her beautiful tree topper shatters on the ground. What are they going to do! No Christmas tree can go without a shiny tree topper! Just as Nancy begin to fret her grandpa opens up the door and hears the horrible news. He comes up with a genius idea. They will make their very own tree topper with glitter, ribbons and pom-poms. Christmas is saved! Nancy and her family have a great time celebrating the holidays together. This book is adorable and it made me wish it was Christmas time. I would definitely read this book to anyone grades k-3. I think they would adore it just like me, because so many kids are able to relate to Nancy's families Christmas traditions. I would read this book around Christmas time, just to get into the holiday spirit. I would then have everybody make their own tree topper just like Nancy did.


Connor, Jane, and Robin Glasser. Fancy Nancy splendiferous Christmas. New York: Harper, 2009. Print.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Clancy and her family are getting ready for the holidays! They decorate the yard, pick out the tree, wrap the presents, sing carols for their neighbor . . . and wait and wait for Grandpa to come over, so they can all decorate the tree together. But Grandpa's running late, and Mom and Dad let Nancy put up the fancy new tree topper she picked out. When Nancy opens one of their dog Frenchie's toys, and plays tug of war with the dog near the tree, disaster strikes! Can this fancy holiday be saved? When Grandpa finally arrives, he has a splendiferous idea.

My girls and I just love Nancy and her fancy adventures. The stories are fun and relatable for kids and parents alike. The illustrations are, as Nancy would say, sublime! Brightly colored and detailed beautifully, they often also include smaller things to read -- which my older daughter loves to help out with as we read together. My younger daughter is building her vocabulary as Nancy and her family and friends help explain what fancy words mean as the stories go along. The pictures also help my emerging reader as she enjoys the book on her own. She is able to retell the story when she can't recognize all of the words exactly.

Lots of fun, and perfect for the holidays. And popular, too! Our copy is due back at the local library because another family wants to see how Fancy Nancy and the rest of the Clancy clan plan the perfect Christmas together.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas. This is actually the first Fancy Nancy book I've read, so it served as a good introduction to the series as well. I liked it very much. I love the illustrations. They were a bit busy, perhaps, but that is part of their charm, I think. I love the amount of detail. Every time I read it, I notice something I hadn't noticed before. There is something almost precious about this book--perhaps because of the illustrations, or even the text. But I don't mind that in a picture book now and then.

In this one, Fancy Nancy and her family are decorating the house for Christmas. They are doing plenty of christmas-y things all together as a family. One of things they are doing is waiting. Waiting is a big part of the holiday, in my opinion. They are waiting for the Grandpa to arrive. When he arrives, they can begin to decorate the tree. They always wait for him. And I imagine every year, she gets a bit impatient because she is oh-so-excited. This year, however, her parents allow her to put on the brand-new tree-topper, something that she picked out and bought with her own money--in the summer...I won't spoil this one. But I ended up liking it very much!