Just Plain Fancy

When Naomi and her younger sister Ruth discover an unusual egg by the side of the road - a fancy speckled egg! - the two young Amish girls put it in with one of their hens, and wait eagerly for it to hatch. The bird which eventually emerges is as unusual as it egg, proving that what was inside was just as fancy as what was outside. And so the new hatchling is named just that - Fancy! But when the girls learn that a member of their community has been shunned for violating the Amish rule about simplicity and plainness - for being too fancy - they become concerned for their new charge, and for themselves. Can Amish girls keep something "fancy," or will their pavonine pet get them into serious trouble...?

Although adult readers will probably show more guess Fancy's identity before the climactic scene in which the Amish elders first get a glimpse of his beauty, young readers might very well be surprised (and thrilled) at the gorgeous revelation. Elder Martha's explanation that Fancy's finery is of a different kind than humanity's - the kind made by God - is just one element of a story that will provide readers with some insight into Amish beliefs and traditions. Somewhat of a departure from many of Polacco's books - which often seem to be based on her own family and history - Just Plain Fancy is a book I would recommend to any child who has ever longed for something a little different, or who has an interest in the Amish, as well as to fans of the author/artist. show less

I am 100% devoted to Patricia Polacco. In this book, she tells the story of a young Amish girl struggling with the rules of her strict upbringing. Like all of her stories, it contains complex characters and conflicts written with deep compassion. The realistic illustrations are rich and beautiful. I love how this story introduces readers to a group of people who are not often the subjects of story books for kids. It's a window into a community and a great book to talk about morals, ethics, and the rules of society.

Marvelous. Too often children don't understand the traditions of their culture, no matter how well intentioned the adults. That is to say, adults tend to have a 'because I said so' attitude even when they never do say those words. So, this story helps both the child characters, and we who are 'English,' understand better the idea of plain vs fancy.

I could consider giving it five stars, but I'm weird; I just don't care for Polacco's artwork. Nor would I want to recommend this book to everyone I know, which is my primary justification for five stars. That being said, I do recommend it to every 4-10 year old and caregiver or teacher of same.

It may interest you to know that the RL from the publisher is 1.5. From the school library from show more which I borrowed the copy I read, it's 3.9. I would say the interest level, for sharing, could probably be narrowed to 1.5, but the RL, for independent reading, is at least 2.5. show less

A play on words, Just Plain Fancy is a combination of the Amish tradition of shunning anything fancy and the acceptance of those things in nature that God has made to be fancy. I loved that the gilrs in this story are such hard workers and are trying really hard to raise these chicks in order to earn their bonnet. Fancy threatens to put all that hard work at risk when the girls discover he is not a chicken but a peacock-- a very beautiful, fancy peacock at that! The girls are worried that Fancy will be shunned and their efforts in vain. In the end they learn that the elders recognize the difference in being what God made you and trying to change to be fancy. The artwork is beautiful, bringing alive the cultural differences Patricia show more Polacco is trying to convey throughout the book. She creates a distinct contrast in the bright, lovely colors of the peacock and the bland clothing styles of the Amish people. show less

I thought that this was a very cute book. I liked that the author told a story about a group of people that I had never seen in any book before. Reading a book about an Amish family was something new and interesting to me. I also enjoyed the main character. She went through a transition during the book, from being scared and nervous about being rejected, to being proud of herself and the way that she helped save a peacock. I thought that this was meaningful to read about. The big idea in this story, is that sometimes it is important for a person to do what he/she feels is right, even if he/she is fearful of the potential negative impacts.

I really liked this book! First, the illustrations were enhanced the text. For example, the illustrations used a lot of details to illustrate the text on the page. Second, the language was engaging because it included dialogue for each character. For example, "'You're so good with chickens,' Ruth chirped. "I just know you're going to get your white cap this year." The message of this book is that things you worry about the most never seem to come true.

Known for their simple life style, the Amish live together bound by a strict set of rules that must be followed.

Naomi longs for something fancy in her life. When she and her sister are collecting eggs, they notice one that is uniquely beautiful and different. Keeping the egg, watching as it hatches, they call the chick fancy.

As the chick preens and stands out from the others, Naomi is very afraid it will be shunned.
One day in particular, the chick escapes the hen house and unfolds an incredibly spectacular torquoise multi-colored display of feathers.

And, to Naomi's relief, rather than shunning, the elders believe the peacock is indeed the handi work and miracle of God.