Review - Fancy Nancy and the Wedding of the Century

Fancy Nancy and the Wedding of the Century (Fancy Nancy)
by Jane O'Connor
illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
Date: 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Fans of Fancy Nancy and weddings alike will laugh along with Nancy as she discovers how truly special a wedding can be--whether lavish or, as this one turns out to be, more down to earth.

No one is more excited than Nancy when word of her uncle's wedding plans spreads. Nancy has visions of a très magnifique wedding fit for a royal princess--with Nancy serving as a flower girl. But when Nancy finds out that the wedding will be held at a lakeside cabin at dawn and that there won't be a traditional flower girl, she's beyond disappointed.

But in the end Nancy is able to add a touch of fancy to the festivities and appreciate the special joys of loved ones gathering to celebrate a wedding (especially when she learns that pancakes will be served at the reception!).

Fancy Nancy's wisdom and creativity shine through to spark the joy of imagination in young readers.

Perfect for fans of the Eloise and Olivia books. From the dazzling New York Times bestselling duo Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm not sure what happened here. This is the first Fancy Nancy book I've read with illustrations that are actually by Robin Preiss Glasser (the others have all been by Ted Enik in the style of Robin Preiss Glasser). Sadly, I don't like the pictures as much here. They're more cluttered, and somehow not as cute.

The story itself is a little bit different from the other books in the series, most of which set up a problem that then requires a solution. The "problem" here is mainly Nancy's unrealistic expectations about the wedding. She comes off as more of an entitled brat here than in the other books I've read, which I didn't really like.

The writing is a bit different, too. Not all of the "fancy" words are defined, and there's no glossary, which leaves beginning readers to figure out words like "exquisite", "breathtaking", and "ravishing" on their own. "Translucent" is given an incorrect definition, and the author uses the phrase "all of the sudden", which, while technically older than "all of a sudden", is considered incorrect by most dictionaries.

This was a disappointment. I can't figure out why this book is so different from the others. I figured that it would've been written before all the others, considering it has the original illustrator and the format of the story is a little different. But it falls right in the middle of the publishing timeline. I don't get it.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 2.67 out of 5