The new ending is published!  The publisher and Author just sent the new edition to my daughter.  I can't wait to check out a book store to see if it is out there too.

Thank you all for your support and efforts in getting this ending changed.  There is no way they would have listened to 1 mom, but YOU made them listen.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!    (sorry the picture is sideways... I couldn't figure out how to rotate it)

Please do not buy this book for your children. This very popular children's series has a horribly negative message toward anyone experiencing hair loss! I read this book to my daughter and REALLY wish I hadn't. Below is the letter I sent to the publisher (HarperCollins) and author (Jane O'Connor). Neither one has responded to me so I would like to share this with you with the hopes that you won't make the same mistake I made.

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I am a mother to a 6 year old girl with Alopecia Areata who loves Fancy Nancy. My daughter, has the most extreme form of Alopecia which means she is entirely hairless. She is often mistaken for a child undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

My daughters preschool had a book fair this past fall where I bought the book Fancy Nancy: Fanciest Doll in the Universe. At first glance it seemed like the message was one of tolerance and embracing our differences, I couldn't have been more wrong. Below I've included the publisher's description that can be found on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble's listings.

"Fancy Nancy is back in New York Times bestselling team Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser's picture book Fancy Nancy: Fanciest Doll in the Universe, about the love little girls feel for their favorite dolls—and their favorite sisters!

Fancy Nancy's sister, JoJo, can really be a pest sometimes . . . like when she put Easter-egg dye in the kiddie pool and dunked Frenchy in it! But this time she's done something really bad, and Nancy is livid—that's fancy for tres angry and upset. JoJo drew a tattoo on Nancy's precious doll, Marabelle Lavinia Chandelier! Even worse, it's in permanent marker. That means it will never come out! When Mom suggests a fancy doll party to make Nancy feel better, Nancy is excited to accept. But what if the doll drama isn't over?Fans of Fancy Nancy and fancy parties alike will delight in this story of how younger siblings can get on your nerves sometimes, but it always works out in the end. As always, the central theme of all the Fancy Nancy books shines through, showing how Nancy empowers girls with knowledge through her fascination with do-it-yourself fun!"

You can imagine my horror when my daughter and I read the book for the first time and it concluded with, “After all, it could have been worse. At least Marabelle isn't bald." I found myself stumbling over my words, trying to come up with a more positive ending. I refused to let my daughter hear her beloved Nancy proclaim those words.

Along with all parents who have children battling hair loss, our family works very hard to build a positive self-image in a world so focused on our exterior appearances. We strive to teach our children to embrace and celebrate our differences. It hurts to imagine the damage a single, careless sentence like this would cause them. Unlike a tattoo, the hair loss these children face is not a choice.

Please, I urge you: consider revising the ending to Fancy Nancy: Fanciest Doll in the Universe.

The ending should reflect the rest of the books message of tolerance and understanding. It is Marabelle's uniqueness that brings her back to Nancy, so shouldn't we be teaching our children to love that which makes us individuals? What, I ask, is wrong with being bald?"

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Here are a few ways you can help me spread the word about this book and its hurtful message.  

• Share our story on Facebook
• Write a review on Amazon and Barnes and Noble
• E-mail the publicist of the publisher HarperCollins Sandee.Roston@harpercollins.com
• Write to the author

Jane O'Connor
c/o Author Mail, 18th Floor
HarperCollins Children's Books
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022

• E-mail your local library and school library and ask that they remove this book from their collection.
• And finally please feel free to share our story with other Alopecia Forums and support groups.

Thank you so much for reading such a long post and any support you are capable of!!

**Update 6.17.2014**

A HarperCollins spokesperson e-mailed me back Monday evening with good news!

"We are truly sorry that we caused you any distress. You are absolutely right when you say that the Fancy Nancy books have a message of tolerance and embracing differences, which is why your email is so important to us, and we are grateful that you brought this to our attention.  Please know that the ending for this book is currently under review."

When I asked what the review process included this was their answer...

"In terms of next steps, our editorial team is going to meet with the author and illustrator to discuss this situation. We know Jane and Robin will share our feelings that this needs to be addressed right away."

I'll be sure to let you all know the next time I hear from HarperCollins, but I think this is a great start!