The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene

by Corey Ann Haydu

In this poignant, magical tale by the acclaimed author of Eventown, two girls find themselves dropped into each other’s world—and must face down dragons they’ve only imagined.

Auden “Denny” Greene is happiest with her friend Runa, creating stories set in their imaginary land of Sorrowfeld, where princesses rule and cursed dragons are a constant danger. But now that they are turning twelve, Runa seems ready to give up on the magic of Sorrowfeld just when Denny needs it the most…

Princess Auden is the last remaining princess of Sorrowfeld—and on her twelfth birthday, she will be expected to vanquish the dragons that took her family. Only, when a swarm attacks her birthday celebration, all she can do is run…

But suddenly. Auden is in Denny’s world. And Denny is in Auden’s.

The two Audens have switched places. No one but them has any idea. And now, each girl must come into her own power in order to fight the other’s dragons. 

The magical beasts of Impossible Creatures meet the body-swap of Freaky Friday, set in a world as fantastical as Wicked’s Oz! 

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Dragons

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 13, 2026

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very conflicting feelings about this book. And that could be coming from a bias rooted in being a parent.

What Worked: The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene tackles two subjects well: the impact of addiction/substance abuse on children and the impact of the parentification of minors. Haydu effectively utilizes main character, Denny, to illustrate how substance abuse and parentification co-exist creating unnecessary hardships and trauma on minors. There are also some great conversations in relationship to tweens/teenagers feeling rushed to "grow up" once they hit a certain age. There are expectations to act, dress, do certain things that some kids aren't ready to experience.

What Didn't Work: This is where I struggled as a reader. Though I understood the necessities of the complex themes within the book, I LOATHED the way Denny is treated by everyone in this book. Her mother is mean, her father is neglectful, her best friend turns on her, her best friends new friend is a bully, and there is NO ONE that truly supports her/sees her except another girl in a magical world that she created in her imagination. The one opportunity readers see for Denny to get some support is kind of left hanging in limbo. We don't learn much about the character. Additionally, I wasn't a fan of the "reconciliation" between Denny and her father. He put the responsibility of "healing" the mom on Denny's shoulders. As a parent, his "sorry" just wasn't enough to justify his shortcomings. For such a deep, serious exploration of a topic that affects a lot of children, I expected there to be a more deep, serious conversation about where the parents went wrong and how their behavior impacted Denny. The fantastical elements of this book were fine, but a little underdeveloped. Part of me was hoping for a different spin on the fantasy element instead of it being a portal fantasy.

Overall, I think that this book does explore important themes, but it faltered, in my opinion, in its execution. Because of the complexity of the allegory created by the magical world, I would recommend this book for an older audience (ages 10-14).

[Beth Given · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denny is an ordinary girl who imagines stories with her best friend Runa. Together, they create a magical world, complete with princesses and dragons. But lately Runa seems to think their project is babyish and that Runa should grow up. Denny's parents also seem to forget that she's a kid; she's dealing with adult problems like her mom's alcoholism and her dad's codependency. The problems seem unsolvable, but then Denny is magically whisked away to the imaginary land she created -- and she has become a princess. Strangely, Denny has body-swapped with Princess Auden of Sorrowfeld. At first, both Denny and Auden struggle to adjust to the expectations of their reversed roles. But with their fresh perspectives, perhaps they each find the power to vanquish their dragons.

This book isn't perfect, but I loved it anyway. As an adult, I cringed at how Denny's parents burdened her with their adult problems -- and yet I could identify with the way Denny tried to carry the weight of the world, even as a child. I hope the message comes through clearly for the young readers who identify with this book: yes, you have more power than you know, but also you are only a kid and are not expected to solve adult problems.

The light touch of magic was truly enchanting. I loved the way Denny had written Auden's world into creation.

Really a fun book, and it totally spoke to my inner child.


Content warning: alcoholism/depression in a loved one

[Mildly Mad Hatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content:
A very big part of this book is about alcoholism. The mother of one of the girls is an alcoholic and it talks about the effects it has on the family. Because of it, the mother is really mean to her daughter and while she does try sometimes to get better, she was more likely to stop trying. She also tends to blame her daughter for her problems.
There is a girl who is a bully and manipulative to the point where she ruins a close friendship.
There’s a girl who follows the other girl who will copy her and do whatever to be popular.
Mentions of periods, bras, and body changes.
Both of the main girls are only 12 and have responsibilities forced on them and they are expected to deal with them.

So I did like how it talked about kids needing to be kids without dealing with the responsibilities of their parents. But the alcoholism is such a prevalent thing and the bullying, that I would hesitate a lot before recommending this book to anyone under the age of 13 at least. I did like how it ended because even tho not everything was resolved and magically fixed in the end, it did get better for the girls.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 rounded to a 5 for GR

I loved this. It was getting dicey in the middle, but the ending was perfect.

This story follows two Audens (Princess Auden and Denny) who switch lives through a mirror and have to try and "fix" the other's problems. For Auden, it's saving her kingdom from dragons that are terrorizing it and for Denny, it's dealing with sixth grade, a best friend who's becoming distant, and a mother who's a relapsed alcoholic. Auden lives in a kingdom called Sorrowfeld that Denny and her friend, Runa, made up in a book called "The Tales of Dragons True."

What drove me nuts is that well-worn trope of middle grade books for girls: you become a tween and your bestie is suddenly very bitchy and distant with no real explanation. This is compounded by the fact that Runa KNOWS Denny's mom is an alcoholic who has recently relapsed. She tells "Denny" (Auden has switched by now) that "you think my problems are small", but her "problems" are self-inflicted because she would rather be popular with the mean girl who is constantly making fun of your best friend since babyhood. I'm glad the book decided to put this character in her place instead of the normal moping about it. I'm also glad to see that the characters both grow from their time in each other's place. The main point of this book is that you can be and still deserve to be a kid, but that doesn't mean you have to minimize yourself. It's about coming into your own, which is the most important part of tween/teenage life. It's about being your TRUE self and embracing it. And realizing that you can't fix everything on your own at that age nor should you be expected to.

Honestly, while I had my own issues at that age, the lesson about "not being able to fix grown up problems" hit me the hardest and I think this is an important lesson to have explicitly given in a book. It's important that our kids realize they don't have to grow up so fast and that parentification or "being independent" often is added burden on them that's unfairly placed.

The book discusses Denny's mom's alcoholism in a way that doesn't diminish the effects on her every day life, but doesn't make that the sole thing for Denny. It's handled very well in my opinion.

I would recommend this book highly. It's nice to see a mixed Realistic & Fantasy book like this. I'm hoping maybe it will get some Newbery hype.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Denny Greene and her best friend Runa have spent years making up stories about an imaginary world, Sorrowfield, and have even written a book about it, The Tales of Dragons True. As their twelfth birthday approaches, however, Runa wants to distance herself from this imaginary pursuit, and wants Denny to grow up. Denny is struggling for several reasons; she isn't interested in clothes or makeup like Runa is, and she has to deal with her mother's alcoholism. Runa's friend Sadie is quite mean to Denny, even after Denny wins the role of Dorothy in the school production of The Wizard of Oz. We also meet Princess Auden, who lives in Sorrowfield. Her parents and two older sisters were taken by dragons, and when she turns twelve, Duke Verdon and Duchess Dutton expect her to solve the dragon problem. Their daughter, Lady Genevive, is the Sorrowfield counterpart for Runa. When presents of birthday mirrors cause the two girls to venture into each other's worlds, the problems become more difficult. Auden has to navigate middle school, and Denny has to figure out how to fight dragons... in a ball gown! While Denny is in danger of having her entire kingdom taken over by another ruler if she can't solve the dragon problem, Auden has to perform in the play, figure out arguments with Runa, and watch as her mother's drinking problem culminates with her getting behind the wheel of a car and crashing. Eventually, Denny manages to fight the dragons by looking them in the eye, which she is told is NOT the thing to do, but manages to save the day. After she comes back from Sorrowfield, she has a lot to catch up on, and work to do on her relationships.
Strengths: Readers who enjoy Haydu's different worlds and allegorical stories, like The Widely Unknown Myth of Apple & Dorothy, will find Denny's adventures in the kingdom she made up fascinating. There are a fair number to tween friendships that break up when one friend matures more quickly than the other, and Denny and Runa's rift makes perfect sense. There aren't a lot of stories involving alcoholic parents (although Petro-Roy's Life in the Balance and Zarr's Kyra, Just for Today are quite good), so that was an interesting inclusion.
Weaknesses: This was a bit repetitive. We hear over and over that being twelve changes everything, and that princesses "know what to do". The mother's alcoholism runs parallel to the problems with dragons in a way that may not make sense to younger readers.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want a portal fantasy like Trehan's Snow, Durst's Even and Odd, or Short's The Legend of Greyhallow, but want a side of problems and allegory with it.

[Sails and Scales · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magical aspects of this book are everything I would have wanted as a twelve-year-old. The world being created by little girls is so perfect because it’s exactly the kind of world I would have created with dragons, princesses, fancy dresses, and witches. I loved the descriptions of how the girls created things and sometimes left things half filled-out and how that reflected in the magical world. All of this would have absolutely delighted me if I were reading this around ten to thirteen years old.

The real world is a lot less magical. It was surprisingly heavy with the discussions of her mom’s alcoholism and depression. It also shows the really tough changes of growing up and trying to be accepted by the popular kids and friendships deteriorating. Some kids may find these topics a little too difficult, although the author does a good job at portraying them in an age-appropriate way while not shying away from how this affects Denny and Princess Auden.

The biggest weakness for me is that a lot of the ideas are repetitive, especially about the importance of being twelve and saving everything. I wish that space had been used to develop other concepts instead of hammering in the same point to get the message across.

Overall, I thought this had some fun concepts but can be deceptively deep about difficult topics. If you’re looking for something just magical and whimsical, this isn’t the right fit. But if you like magic mixed with the harshness of reality and growing up, this might be a favorite.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

I ended up liking this book even more than I thought I would after reading the description. It is about more than just a girl creating and then finding herself transported to a fantasy world. It covers topics such as changing friendship dynamics, alcoholism, and being placed into situations for which we are not prepared. It was so disappointing to see how Runa turned against Denny mostly just to look good to someone else, but that happens far more often than we would like during the tween and teen years. I loved that Denny never stopped being herself even when it would have meant keeping Runa's friendship by becoming someone deemed more socially acceptable. And in the end she finds a friend who appreciates exactly who she is. She is the type of character I want younger readers to emulate. I thought the author also did a great job of depicting what life with an alcoholic parent could be like and how sometimes too much is placed on the child to make things better. Even though Auden did not fully understand what was going on with Denny's mother, she was what was needed in order to get Denny's father to see how much pressure he was putting on Denny. My only question at the end of this was, if Denny was going to perform in the Wizard of Oz after her return how would she know the blocking? Honestly, other than that this was a pretty perfect book. I highly recommend it for classroom and school libraries.

[Ayanna W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book with my 9 year old that reads at a 10th grade level.
Her review: The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene is such a vibe! it’s like if your RPG fantasy campaign and your real-life middle school drama suddenly mashed together in the best possible way. You follow two girls who literally swap worlds! one’s a pretty normal kid who’s struggling with real life stuff like friends and family, the other’s a princess who’s supposed to slay dragons. Then boom — they switch places and everything gets wild. Magical worlds + middle school awkwardness = perfection.

My review: I found myself drawn in from beginning and intrigued by the storyline. What I appreciated most is how Haydu treats her characters with respect. The emotions feel authentic, not watered down, and the lessons come naturally through the story instead of feeling preachy. My child was completely engaged by the fantasy elements, while I found myself quietly nodding along to the deeper messages about resilience, empathy, and finding your own voice.
This is the kind of book that entertains and gives parents something valuable to talk about with their kids afterward — identity, courage, and learning that it’s okay to be both ordinary and extraordinary in your own way.

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one hit hard for me because I remember being the weird kid who didn’t want to grow up, who didn’t fit with the girls who aged so rapidly and shifted from imaginary worlds to makeup and magazines but was also secretly terrified of being left behind.

One of the things that really drove all that home in this story was the way the worlds treated twelve like an adult but both Denny and Auden were completely bamboozled because twelve is so clearly still a kid. And expecting a kid to cure her mother’s alcoholism or, conversely, single-handedly save a kingdom from dragons should be inconceivable- and yet that’s what’s so clearly expected from them. Add to that a former best friend who doesn’t see Denny/Auden for who she is and instead tries to force her into a box where she doesn’t fit.

I also really liked the focus on the scattered/unfinished pieces of The Tale of Dragons True, where Denny and Runa got distracted or bored and just left things unfinished and Denny’s subsequent bamboozlement as those gaps were filled in strange and unexpected ways.

{Thank you Quill Tree Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This middle grade novel mixes fantasy and contemporary in one of the cleverest, most imaginative ways I've ever read. Denny and Runa have been imagining and writing stories about a fantasy world called Sorrowfield ever since they were seven years old. But now they are almost twelve, and Runa wants to fit in with the popular girls instead of write about dragons and princesses. The problem is that Denny doesn't want things to change. And she's having massive trouble at home when her mother relapses into alcoholism and her father putting way too much pressure on her. In the middle of a disastrous 12th birthday party, she somehow switches places with Princess Auden of Sorrowfield. Even though she created the world through her imagination, Denny has no idea how to banish the dragons from her new land. And Princess Auden must adjust to Denny's life -- uncovering some big truths Denny has tried to keep hidden.

I loved this book so much. It's middle grade at its best. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My tween and I enjoyed reading this book together. The cover and title had her immediately interested and the story did not disappoint.✨️

The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene is a sweet and surprisingly emotional read, blending magic and real-life struggles. The world swap between Denny and her imaginary / magical counterpart is fun and done in a really clever way. What makes the story emotional are the honest moments about friendship, growing up and Denny’s mom’s struggle with sobriety. I thought the author handled the severity and depth of that topic well. Overall, this book is heartfelt and imaginative and a good pick for middle grade readers that enjoy magical stories with emotional depth.

Expected publication date: January 13, 2026🗓

Thank you Corey Ann Haydu, HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for a copy of *The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene* in exchange for my honest review.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is firmly between three and four stars for me. I like Corey Ann Haydu books in general and there were some strengths here, for sure. Auden is such a relatable protagonist. There are a lot of books about one best friend growing up faster than another, but it is depicted so realistically in this book and the portal fantasy elements convey that fissure really nicely.

There are not a lot of mg books about alcoholic parents, and I think this one does a nice job of explaining what that feels like for a kid. For other kid readers who have parents struggling with addiction, this book will be a nice salve. A nice promise that you can still be a kid, and you should get to be a kid.

The extended allegory elements felt a little much for me, but young readers will probably feel clever for figuring it out (if they do, I'm not sold on that). A little bit of middle grade nonsense, but not too bad.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Kirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely for middle school in my opinion. While lower middle grade sometimes includes some level of parental depression this one goes deeper into a quite real look at alcoholism. I think unless a student has a reason to connect with this issue they would need to have some health class like alcohol abuse exposure before reading.

Overall I thought the struggle of middle school friendships transitioning from play to teen hang was very real and relevant especially in a world where play is extinguished so early for many kids. It was imaginative for sure, having an epic long term project with a best friend is definitely a great little girl dream.

Another review pointed out that Denny had next to nobody in her corner which is so true. I think the presence of a school counselor or even a social worker at the rehab would have been a really good addition to the book and would help expose kids to available supports.

[Critter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It is strangely nostalgic feeling for me. I loved the characters. They are well developed and fun getting to follow along with. I love the themes of friendship and being yourself and doing what is right for you and others. The world building was great. I loved getting to know the fantasy world as much as I loved getting to know the non fantasy world. The narrator did a great job with this one as well and was in general just great to listen to.

[Clara Lash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great middle grade for those kids out there who don't always feel like they belong! Auden and Denny are both dealing with a lot, too much even for a standard 12 year old. They both rise up to the challenges set before them and learn to navigate strange worlds with only their own knowledge. This reminded me a lot of my own issues I had to also navigate around the age of 12 too.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done execution of the "swap" trope as a princess told to battle dragons switches with a girl dealing with her alcoholic mother and changing friendships. I'm curious to see whether this will play better with fantasy fans or realistic fiction fans since relationships are really the main attraction here.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc.

I really liked this one. It was a bit hard seeing the two Audens struggle with life, but I really liked seeing how their switching lives gave them a different perspective and allowed them to find their strength. This was really good.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what's needed within our world. Many of us have felt similar to the characters within this story, and many of us have met individuals who have lived the lives these characters have. It's such an important piece of work that can allow others to feel seen. very beautiful.

[Haleigh Gravgaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene is a heartfelt, imaginative middle-grade fantasy that works beautifully in audio.

The story’s focus on growing up, friendship, and holding onto imagination is deeply relatable, especially as Denny fears losing the magic she shares with her best friend. The parallel journey of Princess Auden adds emotional depth, and the body-swap twist gives both girls space to grow through courage and self-discovery.

Emily Eiden’s warm, expressive narration enhances the emotional beats and clearly distinguishes between the two Audens. Overall, this is a gently magical, emotionally rich audiobook about identity and the power of stories—perfect for anyone navigating the bittersweet transition of growing up.

[Danielle Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️