Woo-hoo! It’s Friday!
Doesn’t Friday just automatically make you happy?
I think Fridays are just a little bit magic and have an advantage over the other days of the week 🙂
My plan for this weekend includes baking birthday cake for my step-daughter and babysitting for my granddaughters so she and her husband can have a little much-deserved-no-kids-couple-time. Lucky me – I totally win out! I see acorn and stick collecting, painting, play-doh, sidewalk chalk, tea parties, hide-and-seek, and being a pony in my weekend 🙂
And I’m thinking I will share this book – my PPBF pick for this week – because it is so cute and sweet!
Title: Extraordinary Jane
Written & Illustrated By: Hannah E. Harrison
Dial, February 2014, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-8
Themes/Topics: being yourself
Opening: “Jane was ordinary in a world that was extraordinary.”
Brief Synopsis: Jane is a little dog who lives at the circus. She’s not graceful like her mother, mighty like her father, daring like her brothers, or fearless like her sisters. She’s just Jane. But you don’t have to be graceful or mighty or daring or fearless to be special.
Links To Resources: together with your child or class, make a list of things you think everyone would agree are extraordinary, like being brave or strong. Do you have any of those qualities? Does your child or the members of your class? Talk about what extraordinary really means. Make a new list of things that could be considered extraordinary, like helping an elderly neighbor take out the recycling, or being kind to the new kid in class. Who has these qualities? Talk about what makes you like people – probably things like they’re nice, or they make you laugh. Can those things be considered special? What can you do today to make the world a better place just by being you? Would pair nicely with Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson.
Why I Like This Book: This is one of those delightfully simple and sweet books that I just love! Let’s face it – lots of us feel ordinary. So many kids can relate to the idea of worrying that they might not measure up in today’s world of high expectations. This sweet story reminds us – kids, parents, and teachers alike – that we are all extraordinary in our own way, and that we are all special to somebody. The art is bright and colorful. Some of the spreads are humorous (in particular the balancing ball incident and the page after it :)) and the last one is guaranteed to make you say “Aww!” 🙂
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
So what are you all planning for this weekend (besides a trip to the library to read all the great books that are sure to show up on this week’s PPBF list)?
PPBF bloggers, please leave your post-specific links on the list below so we can all come visit and make our library lists 🙂
Have a great weekend, everyone!!! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Oh you are so right about the magic of Fridays, Susanna. Sometimes I think i live for Fridays…lol. Your lovely colourful choice today certainly would cheer anyone up, just like a Friday. 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend. No, I know you will :)) If I don't catch up with you before hand, have a Happy Easter next weekend.
It is a cheery book, Diane – colorfulness-wise and message-wise 🙂 I hope you get to see it. Thanks for the weekend and Easter wishes! I send them to you too! 🙂
Great book choice! I want to read this! Have fun baby-sitting your grandkids! 😀
What an extraordinary book! I sometimes have thought it might be fun to be a circus dog. Sometimes I feel like a circus dog. I'll have to check this book out. Sounds like you have an extraordinary weekend planned! Have fun!
What a fun looking book. I have some deadlines for a conference, a SCBWI schmooze, and apparently, a spring allergy cold to deal with this weekend. Enjoy the grandkids!
Wow, it sounds like you'll have a fun weekend. Perhaps your granddaughters will enjoy reading this book too.
And here I thought Fridays were magical because you got to visit all our blogs lol. Grandkids sound like fun. I just pre-ordered a Kathy Appelt book (Mogie) that sounds similar to your pick (ordinary dog/special role). I'll be interested to compare.
Susanna, This sounds like a wonderful book with a wonderful message! Have a great weekend! 🙂
This looks like an extraordinary choice. And a good pairing for Ordinary Mary. I'll look for them both.
Happy weekend. Yours should be extraordinarily full of love and laughter. Have fun!
Yay! a book that celebrates the ordinary…. and the extraordinary joy that gives.
This sounds like a book that many, many kids will identify with. I know I would have as a child.
Have a great weekend with the grand kids. Bet you'll be dragging on Monday?? I thought you have a pony?
I love your plans for the weekend: acorn and stick collecting, painting, play-doh, sidewalk chalk, tea parties, hide-and-seek, and being a pony.
Lucky YOU!
Susanna, this book looks so sweet! I'll have to look for it. Also – I apologize this week. I reviewed Bear Snores On but it has come to my attention that Renee had already reviewed it a while back – I always search the list to see if the book I want to do has already been reviewed but I must have missed it somehow. Sorry! It's such a wonderful book, I should have known someone else would have already done it. 🙂
Have a great time with your granddaughters!
I'll be looking for this one. It sounds perfect.
I love it, Rosi! I hope you do to 🙂
It's very sweet, Carrie – and such a nice message. No worries about your pick! I don't worry so much about repeats any more – we have SO MANY books on our list now that there are plenty for people to see in all categories. Also, I am so desperately behind in updating that there are A LOT of books that have been done that aren't on the list. So really, no worries at all 🙂
Don't I know it! I can't wait 🙂
I do think it is a book kids will love, Pat! And yes, my daughter has a pony… but my granddaughters haven't met her yet. One of these days maybe they'll get to go on a real pony ride, but in the meantime, I'm the pony 🙂
You put it perfectly, Sue! 🙂
Thanks, Joanne! I'm looking forward to it 🙂 And I hope you'll enjoy the book!
It is a lovely, sweet book, Robin! Thanks for the weekend wishes – hope yours is wonderful too! 🙂
That is just PART of the magic that is Friday, Wendy (although it is BIG part :)) I haven't heard of Mogie – but I love dog books so I'll have to check it out!
I think one of them will. The other will enjoy drooling on it 🙂
Oh, gosh! Feel better, Stacy, so you can enjoy the schmooze. I don't know what to suggest for allergy-related cold… perhaps Ferris Bueller-style advice – wrap a hot towel around your head and get a nap?! 🙂
I think you would love this book, Rhythm! It's full of dogs of all kinds – graceful, mighty, daring, fearless, and lovable – just like you 🙂
Thanks, Erik! 🙂
Awh that's a lovely book, Susanna. Have fun with the kids!
Thanks, Catherine! Have a lovely weekend 🙂
The cover looks so delightful – gotta get my hands on this one! I'll need to check out your pairing suggestion too!
No wonder you have such great imagination. You spend lots of time with the grandkids! A very cute book, Susanna, and I love the illustrations!
I hope you get a chance to read it, Jarm – it's so sweet 🙂
You know me… if it's got animals in it, especially dogs, I'm going to like it 🙂
I like saying “Aww!” And you've never steered me wrong before…
Any picture book that used big words like extraordinary is a fine book by me! Can't wait to check it out. 🙂
Happy Friday! Waving to you from the IN SCBWI conference.
Jane, you are a lucky little circus dog. I think I could be an extraordinary circus dog, too. Right now, I am an extraordinary neighborhood dog – doing extraordinary things like giving kisses, digging holes, and being brave in the face of random balloons and golf carts AND a cardboard chef sign *shiver* at the veterans' home where I visit.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
I love this book, Susanna…the circus makes it fun and it has a great message! And I have a message for you…Happy almost Birthday! 🙂 🙂 🙂 I hope you have some lovely celebrations planned!
It's so simple and sweet and cute with such a nice message. I hope you like it as much as I do, Laura 🙂
Aw shucks! Aren't you sweet to remember! My celebrations will be baking for my step-daughter and babysitting my grandkids 🙂 Maybe Monday I'll pack everyone off to work and school and lie on the back porch with a good book all day 🙂
Cupcake, you ARE extraordinary in all the best ways! 🙂 And VERY brave to face that cardboard sign. Scout and Jemma had to face a new pile of logs on the side of the road this morning – there was a LOT of barking involved! 🙂
Ooh, yay! Have a GREAT weekend at the conference! 🙂
It is fun to say “Aww!” 🙂
That sounds like a lovely plan! It's been gorgeous here…I took a walk and really felt spring…but I hear there may be that four letter word that starts with 's' and ends with 'w' on the way…and the last of it was just melting in our backyard. 🙂 🙂
You enjoy having fun with the little ones. A tea party sounds delightful 🙂
And I try to remind my Chipmunk, in her moments of doubt, that i don't want her to be anything but her because I love her just the way she is so your PPBF choice really hit home for me.
I hope we get to see pictures of the cake!!! 🙂
I so hope your weekend is proving as fun as it sounds! The opening line to this book is priceless!
It's such a cute book, Joanna! And my weekend has been absolutely lovely, thank you! 🙂
Oops! Sorry – I didn't photograph it!
It's a wonderful message to make sure our kids hear loud and clear 🙂
SAY NO TO SNOW!!! 🙂
I'm stumbling into the world of picture books (since I now have two kids of my own). I'm also starting to help write some. This looks like one I may have to pick up for my son, Micah.