Where are the Fancy Nancy books for boys? My son loves learning all the fancy new words, but Fancy Nancy is just too girly!
Okay, I'm not coming down on any side of the girl-books/boy-books debate, but I've been asked this question more than once and could not find a book list, so I thought it was high time to create one!
This is a list of suggestions for boys OR girls who enjoy learning the longer words in the Fancy Nancy books. Many thanks to my colleagues at my library, on PUBYAC, on Code Name Awesome, and on Twitter who contributed suggestions. I know there are more that I don't have listed here, so please, please, please add suggestions in comments!!
A Thesaurus. No, really. Look for a children's thesaurus. Barron's First Thesaurus is chock full of fancy words and while they're not in a story, they are presented in an appealing way (not like boring old grown-up thesauri with just lists and lists of words).
Nonfiction. There are TONS of new words in nonfiction books and many will define them right in the book. Look for narrative nonfiction picture books if kids want more of a story or choose a series at their reading level.
Books Teaching About Adjectives or Synonyms. Some of the picture books listed below are these type of books and if you don't have these particularly titles, you might have others.
Books About Homophones and Palindromes. If kids love learning new words, would they also be excited to learn about some special kind of words?
Poetry? This may be a stretch, but words are chosen so carefully for poetry that word-minded kids might be fascinated by how they fit together.
Books About Kids Who Love Words and Wordplay
- The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter
- Max's Words by Kate Banks
- Mom and Dad Are Palindromes by Mark Shulman
- Noah Webster and His Words by Jeri Chase Ferris
- There's an Ant in Anthony by Bernard Most
Picture Books That Use Longer Vocabulary Words and Define Them Somehow
- 13 Words by Lemony Snicket (maybe this defines them? It's checked out right now so I can't check...)
- Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis
- Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives by Ruth Heller
- Moosetache by Margie Palatini
- Thesaurus Rex by Laya Steinberg
Picture Books That Use Longer Vocabulary Words Without Defining Them
Although the desire may be for a text that defines the words within the story, there are just way more picture books and chapter books that simply use longer words. Maybe pair this with a dictionary? Or read them together until a young reader can figure out the words from context?
- I'm a Manatee by John Lithgow (and other Lithgow titles)
- Lester's Dreadful Sweaters by K.G. Campbell
- One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
- Petey and Pru and the Hullabaloo by Ammi-Joan Paquette
Longer Books and Chapter Books That Use Longer Vocabulary Words
Depending on the age and maturity of your young patron, some of these may work or not (and if not read independently, they might work as a family read-aloud).
Depending on the age and maturity of your young patron, some of these may work or not (and if not read independently, they might work as a family read-aloud).
- Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parrish (uses idioms instead of longer words, but this might work?)
- Bad Kitty chapter book series by Nick Bruel
- Bink & Gollie books by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
- Geronimo Stilton series
- Martha Speaks chapter book series by Jamie White (based on a TV show, but recommended by a couple of people on PUBYAC!)
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Also, books by :
- Philip Ardagh
- Roald Dahl
MUCH thanks to the lovely people who responded to my pleas for help and contributed to this list. I know there are more books for kids who love fancy words!!! Help a librarian out and leave more suggestions in the comments!
