Mum's the Word! Fancy Nancy: The Worst Secret Keeper Ever by Jane O'Connor

I AM ENRAGED! (THAT'S FANCY FOR REALLY, REALLY MAD!)

JOJO KEEPS TELLING ALL MY SECRETS!

Clearly, Nancy's got a problem with her little sister's big mouth! The sign on Nancy's door says

SECRET SPOILERS, STAY OUT!

Last week, before Nancy could pull out her spelling test to show Mom and Dad her perfect score, JoJo beats her to the punch line:

"NANCY GOT ALL HER WORDS RIGHT!"

That wasn't so bad, but when Nancy confided to her sister that she was anxious about dancing the swan role in her recital, JoJo reveals Nancy's fears to the whole ballet class. Nancy is embarrassed.

"I KEEP TELLING HER, IF YOU KEEP BLABBING, NO ONE WILL WANT TO TELL YOU ANYTHING!"

Nancy decides to write her sister off her confidant list forever!

But then, when her best friend is there for a sleepover, Nancy discovers that Bree has never seen her favorite movie. JoJo joins them, and Bree is really into the movie a lot, but just as the film gets to the most exciting part, Nancy can't help blurting out what happens next:

"THIS IS WHERE SHE FINDS THE MAGIC UNICORN AND SAVES... !"

Oooops!

The movie's ending is ruined, and one look at Bree's face makes Nancy realizes that she can be guilty of secret spoiling, too, in Jane O'Connor's Fancy Nancy: The Worst Secret Keeper Ever (Harper Festival, 2016). It's a mea culpa moment for Nancy Clancy and in her usual way, she owns up to it.

For young readers O'Connor's stories have the grace of insight into other people and self-insight on the part of their winsome main character, even when it is not as clearly stated as it is here. Artist Maggi List does a workmanly job of portraying this flamboyant heroine in all her pastel fanciness in the familiar style of Robin Preiss Glasser, and this inexpensive little paperback is a great choice for the Fancy Nancy Fan Club.