The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Latham, Irene

Meet Miss Fancy

32 pp. | Putnam | January, 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-0-399-54668-6 $17.99

(2) K-3 Illustrated by John Holyfield. In early-twentieth-century Birmingham, Alabama, fictional African American boy Frank can't visit Miss Fancy, a real-life circus elephant who retired to nearby Avondale Park: "NO COLORED ALLOWED." But then Miss Fancy--a known escape artist--takes herself on a chaotic, funny walk through Frank's neighborhood. Paintings are lush and supple, with Frank's emotions made poignant and clear. A window into the Jim Crow South and a compelling tale.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019