Spectacular Spectacles

Princess got a new book for Christmas; Fancy Nancy: Spectacular Spectacles by Jane O'Connor.  This is our second Fancy Nancy book.  The first book (Fancy Nancy: Elegant Easter) was given to Pumpkin for Easter 2010 by my mom.  It was one of the last gifts that he received from her before she past away.  Mom seemed to have an usual fascination with the book.  Maybe it was a way to leave a special legacy for her grandkids.

Anyway, Princess seems quite taken with the book.  She begged me this evening to read her the book about the silver case and glittery glasses.  I can see the wheels turning as I read her the book.  I can see her saying "Hey, that is like me." She can see that glasses are special; glasses are useful; and most importantly glasses help. 

So to the story:  Fancy Nancy's best friend Bree is having problems with her eyes hurting so she visits the eye doctor.  Next time Fancy Nancy sees Bree she is wearing the most marvelous lavender glasses that glitter.  Besides the spectacular spectacles, Bree has a beautiful silver case and a silky hankie that is pink with purple polka dots to clean her glasses with. Fancy Nancy is so enamored with the glasses and apparel that she decides that she must need glasses herself.  So she tries various ideas to convince herself that she needs them.  Her all knowing mom, who also wears glasses, has a heart to heart with Fancy Nancy.  Fancy Nancy's mom tells her that she is a very lucky little girl because her eyes work so well.  Fancy Nancy's mom helps her to pretend by popping out the lenses from a pair of fancy sunglasses, so Fancy Nancy can be like her friend Bree.

The story is really cute.  It has a page where Bree tells her classmates about her visit to the eye doctor's office and about reading the chart of letters.  Princess even agreed, I can read small letters too with my glasses.  I think the last page is sort of neat.  It is called Fancy Nancy's Fancy Words and lists more advanced words found throughout the book and their meanings.  
      
     Here is that list: 
     Becoming- pretty  
     Challenging- hard
     Distressing- very upsetting
     Lavender- light purple
     Spectacles- eyeglasses
     Spectacular- great

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with a young child that wears glasses or wants to understand why a friend may have to wear glasses.  The author explains and uses the story to illustrate it in a way that makes sense to younger children as well as older.