Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth

March 1, 2012
Fancy Nancy is back, this time in a chapter book. Nancy Clancy loves fancy words here as much as she does in her popular picture-book series. Her interests are changing, though, as she grows up. An avid Nancy Drew fan, she and best friend Bree have a new Sleuth Headquarters and are excited to solve their first case. When their teacher's special blue marble disappears, everyone in the class becomes a suspect. Their targets of suspicion change from moment to moment, leading the new detectives on a number of wild goose chases. When the real criminal is uncovered, the girls are forced to examine their assumptions. Fans of the Fancy Nancy series will enjoy reading about an old friend in a new, more grown-up setting. Fully fleshed-out secondary characters, especially Nancy's parents and Mr. Dudeny, Nancy's teacher, create a nice backdrop for this new series aimed at transitioning readers. It's hard to write mysteries for a chapter-book audience, but O'Connor creates a plot with subtle clues and red herrings that allow readers to puzzle out the mystery along with Nancy. Nancy's love of colorful language makes it fun to discover new vocabulary (motive, accessory, obstinate) while solving a dandy mystery. Glasser's frequent black-and-white illustrations will help connect this new series with the earlier one. Nancy is one sassy gumshoe. Her fans will enjoy growing up with her. (Mystery. 7-10)

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May 1, 2012
Grades 2-4 Kids who have outgrown the Fancy Nancy picture books and leveled readers, but not the girl herself, will be delightedwhich is a fancy way of saying happythat she is back to star in a detective-themed chapter book series. With her pink trench coat, a rhinestone encrusted magnifying glass, and an official sleuthing headquarters, all Nancy and best friend Bree are missing is a crime to solve. Soon there's not one, but twothe Case of the Missing Marble (her teacher's prized blue marble is stolen) and the Secret of the Twins (one twin is acting highly suspicious). Both stories offer up just the right amount of clues and trails gone cold for the age group. Once again, O'Connor's exuberant text and Glasser's joyful illustrations work in harmony. Nancy's definitions of crime-related vocabulary (motive, investigating, deciphering) add to the fun. There's even a secret language shared between Nancy and Bree, which readers can follow to decode a message at the end. As Nancy Clancy says, Nancy Drew would be so proud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)