For years, Auden Greene, or Denny as she prefers, and her best friend Runa have been creating the world of Sorrowfield through their writing of The Tale of Dragons True. It’s a world with princesses, magic, and of course dragons. But now, Denny is turning twelve, and Runa makes it clear that their make-believe days are babyish and should be over. Instead, Runa says they should be trying to fit in with the popular girls and talking about hair clips, lipstick, and grown up party decorations. Denny doesn’t want things to change; she likes the world they’ve created, and she doesn’t like the mean girls Runa is now hanging out with. To make matters even worse, Denny’s mom has relapsed in her battle with alcoholism and her dad seems to want Denny to try and fix it.
Denny is overwhelmed, but suddenly finds herself not fighting against the modern pressures of turning twelve, but in her magical world of Sorrowfield where Princess Auden is tasked with defeating dragons as she turns twelve. In this Freaky Friday-esque twist, Denny must now face Sorrowfield’s dragons and Princess Auden must face Denny’s friendship and family struggles. The book is a mash up of realistic fiction and fantasy, and it’s a fun ride as Denny and Auden navigate each other’s worlds.
While this is a fun read, there are some deeper messages within, such as staying true to oneself, identifying and moving on from toxic friendships, and advocating for oneself. I would recommend this for readers who like fantasy and perhaps are grappling with pressures to “grow up” and leave magic and make-believe behind. The intended audience is ages 8-12, and I think the sweet spot is 9-10.
WHAT I LIKED
- The fun body-switch premise across the real and make believe worlds;
- Girls who stay true to themselves and knowing when it’s time to move on from toxic friendships
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
- At 323 pages, it felt a little long for me and slow in some parts, but I think kids who enjoy fantasy won’t mind that pacing and length.
Overall, I think this is a good book and will recommend it to tween readers who enjoy fantasy.
Have you or your kiddo read The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene? What did you think? Comment below!
Birdie's Bookshelf 