Title: Extraordinary Ordinary Ella
Author: Amber Hendricks
Illustrator: Luciana Navarro Powell
The Story:
Ella is extraordinary ordinary. She is not graceful dancer like her sister, nor is she musical like her cousin. Everyone at her school seems to have a special talent except for her. Nevertheless, Ella is determined to do well at the school talent show. She tries and tries, but all her attempts to find a talent end in disaster. Or do they? Could Ella’s failed attempts to find a talent undercover the gift that makes her truly extraordinary?
Favourite Spread:
From the very first page, you find yourself rooting for Ella. Amber and Luciana have created such relatable scenes – sometimes, however hard you try, you just can’t master something. I loved the way the three opening spreads show Ella side-by-side, trying her best but coming up short.
It is through Luciana’s illustrations that we, the reader, begin to see that while Ella may not be mastering the activities, each time she is showing kindness to others. I absolutely love this spread:
The Verdict:
There couldn’t be a more important moment in history to read this book. I came across Extraordinary Ordinary Ella via my call-out to showcase books by authors who had to cancel their publication events due to the global pandemic. We are living in a time where even the smallest acts of kindness, however ordinary they may seem, can have an extraordinary impact. We all need to find our inner-Ella! This is my first top pick for 2020!
Publisher: Amicus Ink
Publication date: 25 February 2020
ISBN: 978-1681525020
With many children of from school, Amber and Luciana have created a free printable Kindness Journal and Certificate inspired by Extraordinary Ordinary Ella. Visit Luciana’s website to download them!
I am very grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book. This voluntary review contains my honest opinion.
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