Community Corner
Illustrator Offers Insight into Creating 'Fancy Nancy'
Robin Preiss Glasser, illustrator of the popular children's series Fancy Nancy, made a special appearance Sunday at the Central Library in Newport Beach.
The Newport Beach Public Library was filled with boas, tutus and pink dresses Sunday as a group of little girls interacted with the illustrator of the Fancy Nancy children's book series.
Robin Preiss Glasser, who was recently named Illustrator of the Year by the Children's Book Council for her book "Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid," shared her inspiration for creating the Fancy Nancy characters with dozens of little girls, ages 3 to 8. Glass, a resident of Irvine, had been on a two-month tour across the states where she had been introducing the latest book in the Fancy Nancy series with author Jane O’Connor.
In a metallic emerald dress and hot pink boa, Glass showed her enthusiasm for the book’s main character by telling stories of how she developed Fancy Nancy’s look.
“When I got the manuscript, which is a fancy word for the words in a book, Nancy in my mind made me think of my favorite doll,” Glass said as she held a brown-haired troll doll in her hand.
The fancy-looking little girls had their full gaze on Glasser, who brought items such as her troll doll and a picture of her dog playing with a bright pink boa, to explain her creative process.
Glasser also confessed to the children that she liked to make stuff out of cardboard boxes including a limousine and a mansion for her troll doll.
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“Are you the kind of boy or girl who likes to make stuff?” Glasser asked the children. “[Making stuff] was one of the things people could relate to Nancy, that’s what makes her hair fancy – spraying colors in it.”
The multi-colored hair, extravagant tutu and boa are the signature looks of Fancy Nancy the little girls in the audience love so much.
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“She’s fancy,” said 6-year-old Savannah Sherr.
Holding several Fancy Nancy books in her hands signed by Glass.
Savannah’s mother, Donna, said that Fancy Nancy “reminds her a lot of her daughter.”
“She likes to wear things sparkly and fancy,” Donna said. “First book [in the Fancy Nancy series] actually drew [my daughter] into reading at the time because she would identify and relate to Nancy.”
Throughout the event, Glasser kept the energy in the room up by reading the book aloud in her exuberant voice and leading a fun activity that used bananas. An accomplished ballerina, Glasser also demonstrated the art of good posture through balancing a banana on her head. About 30 girls stood up and put bananas on their heads too and as followed Glasser’s instruction.
The fancy event ended on Sunday afternoon with parents and their children lined up to get their Fancy Nancy books signed by Glasser.
Did you attend the Fancy Nancy event at the library? Tell us about it in the comments.
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