Parents' Guide to

Fancy Nancy: Poet Extraordinaire!

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Fabulous, fancy primer on poetry sure to get kids writing.

Book Jane O'Connor School 2010
Fancy Nancy: Poet Extraordinaire! Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Paulus K.
Paulus K. Parent
September 12, 2017
age 5+

Positive Learning

If you're looking for a good set of books to entertain your children and help to broaden their reading comprehension abilities at the same time then this is a good selection. I would also recommend the works of Shel Silverstein for children 10 and older, all of the Great Dr. Seuss for children of any age, and some of Jack Prelutsky's books as well. And, if you want your children to experience a truly brilliant work of poetry, I would highly recommend 'Skipping Across The Rainbow Sea' by KT Iversen. This book is fairly new, but contains the most incredible poetic stories I have ever read - with many of them containing some form of positive message for the reader to take with them Last of all, if you have never heard of the Serendipity Series by Stephen Cosgrove you should pick some up. Your children will absolutely love them! And while they're not books of poetry they are some of the most positive books ever written specifically for children.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
YoungMomInTexas
YoungMomInTexas Adult
March 15, 2012
age 6+

Poetry resource

My 6 1/2 year old daughter enjoys Fancy Nancy books and has been writing poetry since reading this book. She has read it many times as she tries to memorize how poetry styles work.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Nancy’s class is learning about poetry, and the students are writing their own poems to read aloud at Family Day. Nancy has learned about all different types of poems and ways to write them, but when it comes to writing her own, she faces writer’s block. But a family outing helps inspire her poem.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This is a great addition to Fancy Nancy series, both a fun story about Nancy’s preparation for Family Day and a guide to enjoying and writing poetry. Nancy, who never does anything halfway, even has a Palace of Poetry where she and best friend Bree read and write together. She's curious and excited by what she's learning, and takes great interest in the work of her classmates and the poems shared by friends and neighbors in her poetry survey.

Nancy talks about everything from finding inspiration (such as music, cookies, and a glittery notebook) to compiling anthologies, giving readers plenty of creative ideas for exploring poetry. Kids will readily empathize with Nancy, who is eager to start writing but frustrated by the process. Be sure to have a notebook and plenty of markers nearby -- your child probably will be fired up to start writing!

Sweet, colorful illustrations share space with Nancy’s own artwork, including her very own poetry anthology.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about their favorite poems. What kind of poems do you enjoy? How do you feel when you read them? Conduct a poetry survey like Nancy's.

  • Point out and talk about poetry you run across -- song lyrics, cards, books, even advertising slogans. Write poems together as a family -- you could even make your own Poet Tree.

  • Of course, families can read poems together. Look up some of the poems Nancy refers to in the book and read them together.

Book Details

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