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jess_mango's review
4.0
Set in Birmingham, AL in the early 1900s, Meet Miss Fancy tells the story of Frank, a black boy who is fascinated by elephants. When the local park gets an elephant, Frank is excited to finally see an elephant in real life, except the park has signs saying "No Colored Allowed". Frank starts a petition to request that his church be allowed to hold a picnic in the park. Frank perseveres with his wish to meet Miss Fancy.
This book led to some great discussion with my 5 year old about discrimination and its history in America.
This book led to some great discussion with my 5 year old about discrimination and its history in America.
lizaroo71's review
4.0
Frank loves elephants and he is ecstatic when the zoo in his hometown of Birmingham is going to get Miss Fancy, a beautiful elephant. But Frank is saddened when he realizes he cannot enter the zoo because he lives in a segregated South.
Frank dreams of petting Miss Fancy and he does everything he can to get close to her. His chance finally comes when Miss Fancy breaks out of the zoo.
This is based on a true story of an elephant at the zoo in Birmingham. She too escaped often and wreaked havoc.
Frank dreams of petting Miss Fancy and he does everything he can to get close to her. His chance finally comes when Miss Fancy breaks out of the zoo.
This is based on a true story of an elephant at the zoo in Birmingham. She too escaped often and wreaked havoc.
readwithpassion's review
5.0
This book is wonderfully conceived. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. The book is set prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Frank really wants to meet and touch Miss Fancy, the elephant, but he isn't allowed into the park because he is black. I have many conversations with my 5-year-old about Civil Rights, and this book offered good opportunities to talk further about the topic.
mjfmjfmjf's review
4.0
A fictionalized story set around a true story of Jim Crow racism and and elephant. Not a story I was told. And I think telling as many of these stories, big and small, violent and not, is important. Great art, good text and a nice afterword distinguishing truth from extrapolation.
nerfherder86's review
4.0
Sweet historical fiction picture book about a young boy who loves elephants and helps raise pennies to bring "Miss Fancy" the elephant to his local park. But it is Jim Crow era Alabama, and as an African American boy, Frank is not allowed to enter the park to see Miss Fancy up close. He compromises by tossing her peanuts from a nearby tree; tries to get the church picnic held at the park, but for the same reasons, cannot do it. So Frank comes up with a cute solution to get Miss Fancy to come to him! Frank is fictitious but as we learn in the author's note, Miss Fancy and the park were real; she lived there from 1914 to 1934, and she escaped from the park 12 times!! I loved the artwork of this book, the paintings are gorgeous and realistic.
sunflowerjess's review
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Although Frank is a fictional character, there really was an elephant named Miss Fancy at the Avondale Park Zoo, and the events in this book really happened. Irene Latham is a white author, which I was skeptical of at first; however, the illustrator, John Holyfield, is Black, and the book is well written. This children's book made me think about the many places I take for granted that can go to that Black people were not allowed to enter until recent history and still face discrimination in today.
kta's review
5.0
A fantastic historical fiction picture book! The author did an excellent job blending truth and fiction to make an engaging children's book.
kbayko's review
5.0
Meet Miss Fancy is truly a one of a kind civil rights book. It presents the harsh realities of the movement in a truly kid-friendly story scenario, it is not too text heavy that young readers would not benefit, and it is based off a true story! Most notably, the hero of the book is the local police officer who extends his kindness to Frank. This is important because most civil rights books for children focus on the poor actions of public service members in that time.
The narrative follows a little boy in Birmingham Alabama who has a dream of meeting the retired circus elephant Miss Fancy up close like all the white children in the city's Avondale park.
At first Frank settles for watching Miss Fancy from afar, but the limitation soon becomes too stifling. He attempts to bring about change by petitioning the city government to allow his church to picnic within park grounds- and though the city agrees, de facto segregation forces the church to withdraw.
When all seemed lost, Frank helps return Miss Fancy to the park after one of her famed escapes. The book ends when a police officer asks Frank if he would like to ride Miss Fancy as a reward for his help.
I highly recommend this book.
The narrative follows a little boy in Birmingham Alabama who has a dream of meeting the retired circus elephant Miss Fancy up close like all the white children in the city's Avondale park.
At first Frank settles for watching Miss Fancy from afar, but the limitation soon becomes too stifling. He attempts to bring about change by petitioning the city government to allow his church to picnic within park grounds- and though the city agrees, de facto segregation forces the church to withdraw.
When all seemed lost, Frank helps return Miss Fancy to the park after one of her famed escapes. The book ends when a police officer asks Frank if he would like to ride Miss Fancy as a reward for his help.
I highly recommend this book.