Synopses & Reviews
Last spring, Pansy chickened out on going to spring break camp, even though shed promised her best friend, Anna, shed go. It was just like when they went to get their hair cut for Locks of Love; only one of them walked out with a new hairstyle, and it wasnt Pansy. But Pansy never got the chance to make it up to Anna. While at camp, Anna contracted meningitis and a dangerously high fever, and she hasnt been the same since. Now all Pansy wants is her best friend backnot the silent girl in the wheelchair who has to go to a special school and who cant do all the things Pansy used to chicken out of doing. So when Pansy discovers that Anna is getting a surgery that might cure her, Pansy realizes this is her chanceshell become the friend she always should have been. Shell become the best friend Annas ever hadeven if it means taking risks, trying new things (like those scary roller skates), and running herself ragged in the process.
Pansys chasing extraordinary, hoping she reaches it in time for her friends triumphant return. But what lies at the end of Pansys journey might not be exactly what she had expectedor wanted.
Extraordinary is a heartfelt, occasionally funny, coming-of-age middle grade novel by debut author Miriam Spitzer Franklin. Its sure to appeal to fans of Cynthia Lords Rules and will inspire young friends to cherish the times they spend together. Every day should be lived like its extraordinary.
Review
"Extraordinary is a delightful tale of loyalty, friendship, and hope." Karen Harrington, author of Courage for Beginners and Sure Signs of Crazy
"An inspiring, beautifully told story of friendship, hope, and the power of positive thinking, even in the face of deep disappointment." Dianna Dorisi Winget, author of A Million Ways Home
Review
"A gentle story. . . . Most readers will understand long before Pansy does that she is setting herself up for disappointment, but they will also recognize that Pansy's dedication to her friend is plenty extraordinary in itself." —
Publishers Weekly"North Carolina author Franklin firmly grasps the climate and struggles among kids today. Her crystal-clear writing is filled with rich detail and believable characters. The sensitive story will resonate with young girls wrestling with friendship pains." —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"[An] effective debut. . . . the ending, in which Pansy accepts the reality of Annas situation, is suitably affecting." —Booklist
"Extraordinary is a delightful tale of loyalty, friendship, and hope." Karen Harrington, author of Courage for Beginners and Sure Signs of Crazy
"An inspiring, beautifully told story of friendship, hope, and the power of positive thinking, even in the face of deep disappointment." Dianna Dorisi Winget, author of A Million Ways Home
About the Author
Miriam Spitzer Franklin is a former elementary and middle school teacher who currently teaches homeschooled students and is a writer in residence with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Extraordinary, her debut middle grade novel, was inspired by a niece who suffered a brain injury after a high fever led to a stroke. Miriam lives with her husband, two daughters, and two cats in Charlotte, North Carolina.