It’s always hard to say goodbye at a story’s end to characters you’ve grown fond of and enjoyed spending time with. That’s one of the great joys of series books and why they appeal to readers of all ages: you don’t have to say goodbye; you can look forward to meeting up with familiar characters in the next book.

Books in a series are especially popular with transitional readers, children moving beyond beginner reader chapter books but who are not quite ready for longer novels. Having background knowledge of a character or setting aids readers who are still developing their fluency and comprehension skills. Think Nancy Drew stories. After reading a couple, you know that she is an adventurous girl with sparkly blue eyes who has a plump cousin and a kind housekeeper. Eventually, you are able to skim the familiar descriptions and devote your energy to deciphering the plot. Knowing that they already enjoy reading about a certain character also helps motivate transitional readers to continue reading. And regular reading practice is one of the best ways to build reading skills.

For all these reasons, it’s good news for fans of Fancy Nancy that author Jane O’Connor has continued to offer new stories featuring the flamboyant young girl who enjoys sprinkling her wardrobe with sparkly accessories and her vocabulary with dazzling words. The character who was first introduced in 2006 in picturebook format with appeal to preschoolers, and progressed to beginner reader format books with an early elementary aged audience, now appears in first chapter books aimed at transitional readers in grades 2-3.

In these latest stories, Fancy Nancy has morphed into Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth with a pink trenchcoat and a rhinestone studded magnifying glass. Always on the lookout for mysteries to solve, Nancy and her friend Bree have designed their own business cards (Partners in Crime: N & B) as well as their own secret code for safely exchanging messages. And while attempting to solve the Mystery of the Missing Marble, Nancy Clancy pauses to ponder: What would Nancy Drew do?  Whether or not they are familiar with Nancy Clancy’s mentor, Nancy Clancy fans will delight in hunting for clues and deciphering codes with the new Super Sleuth on the block.

The other good news for aficionados of Fancy Nancy Clancy is that Overdrive has designated Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth as the featured title for its current Big Library Read program. From September 16th – 30th Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth - Book 1 will be available in both eBook and audiobook formats for anyone wanting to read it – no waiting, no holds! Find the title in the library catalog, or go directly to Indiana Digital Media and log in with your library card to claim your copy. As Nancy Clancy would say: Stupendous! Magnificent! And double ooh la la!