Naomi Vlecke lives with her farming family in an Amish community in Pennsylvania. The Amish first came to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, and to this day preserve a religious and "plain" life-style. As part of her household chores, Naomi looks after the chickens with her little sister, Ruth.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Naomi and Ruth are sisters who live on a farm in Pennyslvania's Amish country, where people take pride in their uncomplicated lives. But Naomi complains that everything in her life--from her clothes to her chickens--is plain. The girl longs for "something fancy." When she and Ruth find an unusual egg by the side of the road, they place it in their hen's nest, hoping it will hatch. It does, and the bird that emerges is obviously not a garden-variety chick. The sisters name it "Fancy," and keep its existence a secret from the grownups, who they fear will shun it. On the day the elders of the community have gathered for a working bee, Fancy breaks out of the henhouse and spreads its feathers in front of the group. By this time perceptive young readers will have gathered that Fancy is a peacock--and Polacco's pictures reveal it to be a magnificent one at that. Naomi is praised for raising such a beautiful bird, and learns that some kinds of "fancy" are acceptable. Polacco's warm story and sensitive illustrations offer a fresh, balanced perspective on Amish life. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Polacco's clear, lively, watercolor/pastel crayon illustrations play with varying perspectives in a way calculated to draw children into a world of order and simplicity: the Amish country of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Readers are introduced to Naomi and Ruth, Amish sisters, aged about ten and four. One day, while searching for mislaid eggs, Naomi tells Ruth that she longs for something "fancy" in her otherwise "plain" life. Her wish is fulfilled when the girls discover an unusual egg. When it is hatched, a very special chick emerges, appropriately named Fancy. Fearing that he will be considered an outcast because he is too fancy to be Amish, the girls keep their pet a secret for nearly a year. Finally, at a summer working bee, the bird can be contained no longer. He spreads his glorious plumage across two whole pages, and readers and the elders discover that he is a very handsome peacock. One of the elders calms Naomi's fears, telling her that a peacock is God's handiwork and that there can be no shame in their pet's being what he was meant to be. Brimming with details of Amish farm life, the illustrations are bound to inform as they entertain. The characters' expressive faces, the energy of the drawings, and the appropriateness of composition to mood and content of the story all unite to make this a picture book that's sure to tickle readers' fancy. --Carey Ayres, Port Washington Public Library, NY
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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More About the Author
Born Patricia Ann Barber in Lansing, Michigan, to parents of Russian and Ukrainian descent on one side and Irish on the other, Patricia Polacco grew up in both California and Michigan. Her school year was spent in Oakland, California, and summers in her beloved Michigan. She describes her family members as marvelous storytellers. "My fondest memories are of sitting around a stove or open fire, eating apples and popping corn while listening to the old ones tell glorious stories about their homeland and the past. We are tenacious traditionalists and sentimentalists.... With each retelling our stories gain a little more Umph!"Studying in the United States and Australia, Patricia Polacco has earned an M.F.A. and a Ph. D. in art history, specializing in Russian and Greek painting, and iconographic history. She is a museum consultant on the restoration of icons. As a participant in many citizen exchange programs for writers and illustrators, Patricia Polacco has traveled extensively in Russia as well as other former Soviet republics. She continues to support programs that encourage Russo-American friendships and understanding. She is also deeply involved in inner-city projects here in the U.S. that promote the peaceful resolution of conflict and encourage art and literacy programs.The mother of a grown son and a daughter, Patricia Polacco currently resides in Michigan, where she has a glorious old farm that was built during the time of Lincoln.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Wondeful Book,
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This review is from: Just Plain Fancy (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Dell Picture Yearling) (School & Library Binding)
I teach inner city second graders who rarely leave their neighborhood. They loved learning about Amish children and were astounded to know that the Amish community is another community in their country. Patricia Palacco has a way of writing about other cultures, children, and situations that my students really enjoy. Her books help them become better readers because after I read the book to them, they will pick it up to read on their own.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just Plain Fancy,
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This review is from: Just Plain Fancy (Paperback)
This is a great book for children to read to learn something about the Amish. The author is a wonderful artist as well.
5.0 out of 5 stars
a book greatly reccomended for children and babies,
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Just Plain Fancy (Paperback)
This book is great. it is greatly reccomended from ages 0 to 100! A must read realistic fiction book that is enjoyed by all ages.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Kaleb and his two daughters hurried along Lancaster County Road in their buggy. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Kaleb and his two daughters hurried along Lancaster County Road in their buggy. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 2
books:
28
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cite this book:
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- Peter Spier's Circus (A Picture Yearling Book) by Peter Spier in Back Matter
- Peter Spier's Rain (Picture Yearling Book) by Peter Spier in Back Matter
- Picture Book Activities : Fun and Games for Preschoolers Based on 50 Favorite Children's Books by Trish Kuffner on 5 pages
- Interpreting Literature With Children (Literacy Teaching Series) by Shelby A. Wolf on page 230, and page 233
- Literature-based Mini-lessons to Teach Decoding and Word Recognition (Grades 1-3) by Susan Lunsford on page 114, and Back Matter
- Young at Art: Teaching Toddlers Self-Expression, Problem-Solving Skills, and an Appreciation for Art by Susan Striker on page 169, and page 180
- Peak with Books: An Early Childhood Resource for Balanced Literacy by Marjorie R. Nelsen on page 103, and Back Matter
See all 28 books citing this book
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