Fancy Nancy

Last night I got very cross. I have a lot of worries and no control over them at the moment. So I was very grumpy and trying not to be, because I know the people around me are *not* the cause of my frustrations. For some reason I was up very late and couldn't concentrate on the book I am reading when I got into bed. So I went searching for some lighter reading. I found Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. Yes, illustrated; it's a children's book, but let me tell you: Every book should have as much glitter on the cover - or more! - as this book does! And it's a beautiful iridescent glitter too. That alone helped alleviate my mood. Or perhaps it was my conversation with Jacqueline.

Bunny: (spoken sternly, remember I was grouchy) This book is *covered* with glitter!
Jacqueline: (looking for a solution with positivity) I'm sorry. Do you want me to scrape it off for you? I could glue it back on before we return it.
Bunny: (still gruff) No! Why would you want to do that?
Jacqueline: (almost laughing now) Well its presence seems to offend you...
Bunny: (sulkily) No. It's embossed on and I *like* glitter.

Or something like that anyway... Absurd!

Then I read the book. Obviously the book stars Nancy, who likes to make things fancy. Tiaras, feather boas, jewelry, bows... The first thing she does is make her room fancy, and it just reminds me of what I used to do... And still try to do, only a little less chaotically. Flowers, posters, lights, color, dangly things... And her favorite color is fuchsia (a fancy word for purple) and she even has fuchsia hair mousse (it's on the grocery list!). So many of the things she does resonate with me...

However, her family is a little boring: jeans & tees, very little color... So she gives them fancy lessons and gets them all fancied up! In celebration they decide to go out to eat all dressed up. It's so silly and wonderful and magical! I won't give away the details, but there is an accident, and Nancy wants to go home. And when they do, Nancy gets into her bathrobe and looks. Just. Like. Me! And the end of the book is just so sweet...

More books need to be written like this! More glitter, more fancy, more sweetness!

And it improved my mood...