Fancy Nancy

Name: Fancy Nancy
Item: Fancy Nancy
Rating: 4
Author: Emily Ashby

TV review by

Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 5+

(i)

Books-inspired series celebrates individuality, expression.

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age 4+

Based on 22 reviews

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We think this TV show stands out for:

Character Strengths

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Educational Value

Nancy's unreserved self-expression reminds kids that it's important to be true to themselves, and her diverse group of peers shows that you don't have to be exactly alike to be friends. Strong social-emotional themes about resisting peer pressure and doing what you know is right.

Positive Messages

Nancy's quest to make fancy everything and everyone around her brightens their world, but also teaches her a lot about respecting others and being a good friend. What makes her happiest often isn't the same as what her friends like, and learning to acknowledge individuality strengthens their friendships. She learns from mistakes, makes amends when she hurts people's feelings. Her friend Grace can be snobby and manipulative, but Nancy eventually recognizes the negative influence and makes good choices.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Nancy shares her exuberance for life and all its fanciness with her friends and family. She is full of big ideas and involves others in them, finding joy in her friends' individuality as well as her own sense of style. She's a kind and tolerant older sister. Her parents encourage her self-expression and her sense of independence. Grace is snooty and judgmental, and she inspires negativity like envy and bossiness in Nancy before Nancy acknowledges her mistake and makes a better choice. Nancy's parents encourage her expression and individuality.

Violence & Scariness

Sexy Stuff

Language

Consumerism

The series is inspired by a series of children's books by Jane O'Connor.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Fancy Nancy is a series inspired by Jane O'Connor's popular children's books, which center on a young girl (voiced by Mia Sinclair Jenness) who's confident and self-expressive. Nancy's elaborate wardrobe and vocabulary reflect her desire for all things fancy, and she encourages her friends to appreciate the same level of extravagance. What she learns, though, is that there's beauty in the diversity of people's differences -- and that by appreciating uniqueness in her friends, their relationships improve. There are strong messages about families, especially related to Nancy's fondness for her younger sister and her parents' supportiveness. A supporting character can be bossy and manipulative, which sometimes influences Nancy in negative ways, but she always makes positive decisions in the end and learns from the experience.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Parent of an infant year old Written byHolly R. July 21, 2018

age 4+

Great animation but disappointing in terms of values

The animation and detail is among the best you can find on a regular TV series but the show is mostly teaching kids to be materialistic and superficial while le... Continue reading

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Parent of a 5 year old Written byBrittany W. August 1, 2018

age 5+

Doesn't Teach Good Morals

This cartoon is very inappropriate. It is ok that a person wants to dress nice but this little girl really teaches children that you need to do anything to impr... Continue reading

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What's the story?

A cherished book heroine bursts onto the screen in FANCY NANCY, the story of a six-year-old girl who LOVES everything fancy. Fancy clothes, fancy décor, fancy accessories ... Nancy Clancy (voiced by Mia Sinclair Jenness) wholeheartedly believes there's no call to be plain when just a little more effort can make you sublime (that's a fancy word for "fancy"). With her best friend, Bree (Dana Heath), by her side and her stupendous playhouse as the exotic locale for their play, Nancy does her best to make her fancy mark on the world, but it's often she who learns the value of celebrating the individuality of her friends and family.

Is it any good?

Nancy's exuberance for life translates beautifully from page to picture in this vibrant series that enhances an already beloved children's character. Young girls especially will adore Nancy's zest for excess as it relates to her wardrobe, her vocabulary, and her many endeavors. She doesn't just set up a lemonade stand, for instance; she creates a lemonade tasting experience, complete with instructions for proper pinky finger extension on the glass tilt. With Nancy, a little effort goes a long way, vision is key, and small touches make the difference between a satisfactory day and a stupendous one.

That said, Fancy Nancy's best quality is more subtle than the titular character's colorful attire. She's an obvious model of self-expression and the importance of being true to what makes you unique, but it's her awareness of and respect for her friends' individuality that really stands out. Nancy may think that everything is better with glitz and glamour, but she acknowledges that's not everyone's thing, and that's OK. In relating to her friends, Nancy reminds viewers that being different doesn't disqualify friendship, but with acceptance can enhance it.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about self-expression in Fancy Nancy. Kids: Do you express yourself through the clothes you wear or favorite toys you play with? Does doing so invite introductions to other people who share your interests?
Why is it important to respect the fact that other people's values and passions may be different from your own? Does that make one right and one wrong? How can you find common ground with someone who seems very different from you? What's the value in being compassionate and open to new ideas? Why is this an important character strength?
What other book characters have you seen brought to the screen? Is your favorite among them? How differently are you entertained by stories in a book than by similar stories on a TV series? Do you like to read (or be read to)? What kinds of stories are your favorites?