Sunday, February 24, 2013

An old student, Fancy Nancy, and a Christmas letter

I am very blessed that several of my old students keep in touch with me.  I send my Christmas cards to their families and they graciously respond each year.  I really enjoy hearing how they are doing and have enjoyed watching them grown up.   One of the young men that I had in first and second grade just got married last year.  He wrote me the other day and told me that he had a present for my younger two girls.  I said great and remembered again when a box arrived in the mail.  The box arrived with a set of Fancy Nancy books and a letter.  The books were all signed by the illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser. But, I am getting ahead of myself.  The story started back in 1997.

I had a classroom of first graders that I "looped" up with to second grade.  It was a wonderful group of kids who I really missed when I moved to Ohio from Georgia.  A book had just come out called Alexander, Who's Not (Do you hear me, I mean it, not!) Going to Move. 
One of the original books.



I wrote a personal note to each student and gave it to them at the end of the year. (Notice the illustrator is Robin Preiss Glasser.)   I have kept up with Andrew and his family over the past 16 years.  I send them a Christmas card and letter each year..  This year I shared how one of my daughters loves Fancy Nancy and she had a Fancy Nancy Birthday Party this year. 
Fancy Nancy Party with table set for tea.

Well, it turns out that Andrew and his family have a connection with Robin Preiss Glasser, the illustrator the Fancy Nancy books and the original book I gave him. They both know how much I love singed books and set out to have a set of Fancy Nancy books signed by Ms. Glasser for my daughters. They shared the story of the book I had given Andrew at the end of second grade, our Christmas card picture, and the fact that my daughters loved Fancy Nancy with Ms. Glasser.   Ms. Glasser loved the story and agreed to sign the books.  My girls were beyond thrilled. 
Girls posing with the books in Fancy Nancy Attire.



So a book given in love led to more books given in love many years later. The circle of reading. You never know the effect that a book you give a child will have on their lives. 
~Becky
P.S. I told my children it is also another good reason to smile in your Christmas card picture. 

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