In school, Clara Frank has just learned the word “extraordinary,” and her mother has gone all in on it. But when life starts to change as middle school begins, Clara is feeling anything but. The real world has just as many struggles as any fantasy novel, and she’s not sure she’ll be able to come out the other side in one piece.
THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF AN ORDINARY GIRL by E. Grayson styles itself as a diary, but functionally is a collection of short stories outlining Clara’s turbulent year. It all starts with her big sister suffering the consequences of an unfair school dress code, but the problems soon start hitting much closer to home. From strained friendships to swimming classes, Clara will have to confront all sorts of situations where she feels anything but extraordinary. Clara’s story does not shy away from addressing contemporary issues. The first two stories are the sort of things one (sadly) hears about all too often: sexist dress code standards and racism close to home. While the situations themselves are handled and resolved realistically, the actual execution of the scenes can be a little rough. There is an earnestness to them, but that earnestness to get the message across can leave the dialogue slightly unrealistic, bordering on an after-school special. Even so, it’s approachable and relatable for its intended demographic in a way that so much young adult fiction fails to achieve. Instead of waxing philosophical with terminology that young people of this age would rarely employ, Clara finds her truth in the emotions of the situation.
Speaking of emotions, the second half of the book is far more internalized than the first. Where Clara’s early adventures deal with more social issues of sexism, racism, and peer pressure, the latter ones force her to look even more inwards. Clara grows keenly aware of her own (perfectly normal) imperfections as she navigates being the target of ridicule in swim class, welcoming a new baby sibling, and dealing with the unexpected new issues that a sibling faces. Throughout this variety of circumstances, the author presents an even-handed approach: Clara’s understandable feelings balanced by her family’s advice and guidance. Clara’s mother is even willing to admit when she has been a less-than-perfect mother, owning up to her own occasional hypocrisy and doing her best to improve. It’s refreshing to see a book led by a school-age protagonist in which the parents are not just allies but aware of their own flaws and willing to change.
While THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF AN ORDINARY GIRL occasionally stumbles, it never falls. Its take on a turbulent time in life is an important one, both for people of that age and people who may have forgotten what it’s like to be that age. Above all, it’s encouraging: one can make mistakes, have regrets, and still be extraordinary.
E. Grayson’s THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF AN ORDINARY GIRL is honest and relatable; any rough edges are counterbalanced by a whole lot of heart.
~Kara Dennison for IndieReader