Gifted Issues Discussion homepage
Posted By: GHS Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 10/19/11 04:05 AM
My DD(21 months) is obsessed with Fancy Nancy... Has anyone found a similar book series to this? The part she loves are the new "fancy" words... Fiasco is fancy for disaster, ect. She LOVES learning these new words then gets obsessed with them and uses them very often and correctly. Today we were walking with some friends and she said "that's Freddy (their dog) he's a canine". I tried to ask barnes and noble person and she helped me find a cute kids encyclopedia DD now loves. I just (personally) don't want to get sick of the series and would love to find something similar that we could mix in now and then. thanks!!
Posted By: 2giftgirls Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 10/19/11 04:25 AM
my DD who was an early talker and has a penchant for "fancy" words also like Eloise alot, not because the vocabulary is more complicated, but I think she likes the way it sounds when read aloud...

Why not just move on to higher level books and insert your own commentary? We do that trick quite often..."delirious is a fancy word for crazy", "furious is really really really angry", etc...you could move to a more complicated book and expound on the vocabulary in the same manner
Posted By: lightdance Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 10/19/11 05:17 AM
My child thought these series were funny when she was little:
Amelia Bedelia, by Parish and Morris the Moose, by Wiseman both series have many puns.
Posted By: doclori Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 10/19/11 07:59 AM
DS loved "Madeline and the Bad Hat" around that age because of the big words.

Because he loved that book so much, the bookstore recommended "Animalia" by Graeme Base, which has lots of interesting words, and illustrations he would get lost in for extended periods.

Enjoy!
Posted By: GHS Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 10/28/11 02:50 AM
Thank you!! DD loves Eloise too!
We just received Anamalia (after ordering it on amazon w your recommendation) and she loves it! Thanks!!
Just ordered the abridged classics. Can't wait to get them!!

Thank you for the suggestions! Nothing beats Fancy Nancy in her mind but its nice to have other books she can enjoy when I need a break!
Posted By: flower Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 10/31/11 04:12 PM
My little one also likes Fancy Nancy. She also has enjoyed books with strong female characters such as:

The Paper Bag Princess - Robert Munsch

Daisy Comes Home - Jan Brett

Princess Smartypants

A Brave Little Princess

My Very Last First Time.

Not sure of the authors as I can not locate the books right now.
Posted By: 75west Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 10/31/11 06:10 PM
Madeline; Frances series by Russell Hoban; Amelia Bedelia are good suggestions to the Fancy Nancy series (which my son and I love as well). These books have strong female characters and they're very popular.

Angelina Ballerina series is another one which is popular today, though I find it a bit more serious than Fancy Nancy.

Mr. Men/Little Miss series is a bit more advanced to the Fancy Nancy series, which you're daughter might like. The vocabulary can be more advanced and some the books are funny and charming to say the least.

The Gruffalo series, Tomie de Paola books (Strega Nona, in particular), and Richard Scarry books are popular too.

Amazon has good suggestions and booklists and then locate or request the books through your public library - your local librarian should be able to help you as well with alternatives to Fancy Nancy.
Posted By: HelloBaby Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/02/11 02:23 PM
Would boys like the Fancy Nancy series?
My son liked listening to Fancy Nancy when his sister read them. Its not a book he would go and pick up off the book shelf and ask us to read to him or read to himself.
Posted By: Dude Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/02/11 03:01 PM
Originally Posted by HelloBaby
Would boys like the Fancy Nancy series?

I wouldn't worry about gender. Just give him the chance to be exposed to it, and let him make his own decisions.

I don't know anything about Fancy Nancy in particular, but I remember being a big fan of Beverly Cleary as a child.
Posted By: MidwestMom Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/02/11 03:37 PM
DD#2's first grade class (both the boys and the girls) really liked Pinkalicious, so I would say boys would probably like Fancy Nancy.
Posted By: bbq797 Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/02/11 04:11 PM
How about Martha Speaks? I've seen the show, but haven't checked out the books yet (they definitely have books). It's very similar to Fancy Nancy--I know on the show they review the new vocabulary words first that they will use on the show, then they sprinkle the words throughout the show. I think it's pretty close to what you're looking for.

@Hellobaby- I agree, I wouldn't worry so much about gender (Fancy Nancy), my son is five and we read them together w/my little one who is three. So far he hasn't complained that it's a girl's book. I think it's good anyway to expose them to different types of main characters in a book--girl, boy, dog, whatever! lol But if you do want something a bit more gender neutral, maybe check out Martha Speaks
Posted By: Sweetie Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/06/11 02:14 AM
My (then) 4 year old read/had read to him both Olivia and Fancy Nancy books...but that is before they get the message about sexism from fellow classmates. He is six now and I am sure he would have no problem listening to books such as these if read aloud to a group but I think at this point he wouldn't go and pick them out on his own. Well maybe Olivia because she is a hoot. (Not to mention that he is reading higher books).

My boys can almost recite my rant. There is no such thing as girl toys and boy toys...there are just toys. There is no such thing as girl books and boy books...just books. You look at each toy or book and evaluate if that would be something that would interest you.
Posted By: DeHe Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/06/11 02:26 AM
Originally Posted by Sweetie
My boys can almost recite my rant. There is no such thing as girl toys and boy toys...there are just toys. There is no such thing as girl books and boy books...just books. You look at each toy or book and evaluate if that would be something that would interest you.

LOL, I have the same rant! Although with my DS at 3 and 4 in pre-K, not so much now (possibly because he knows the reaction) it was not about books as much as it was about colors and characters - pink, princesses, blue, etc. and it's actually hard to find books with girl characters that are outside of gender stereotypes, which is really disappointing! Even seemingly gender neutral characters are often refered to as he, I loved it when elephant of elephant and piggy turned out to be a girl (or maybe it was the reverse, it was awhile ago!)

DeHe
Posted By: doclori Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/06/11 03:57 AM
While it's true that Fancy Nancy, Eloise, and Olivia "live" in DD5's room, DS7 has never complained that the stories are for girls. DS loved Madeline when he was 3. It was passed on to DD, but only because DS moved on to other topics.

Posted By: Sweetie Re: Books similar to Fancy Nancy (vocab)? - 11/06/11 01:49 PM
My older son loved Madeline too. A good book is a good book.

As far as colors, been there too.
© Gifted Issues Discussion Forum