Extraordinary Ordinary Ella

by Amber Hendricks, Luciana Navarro Powell (Illustrations)

Ella is extraordinary. Extraordinarily ordinary, that is. Not graceful like Carmen or musical like Kenji, Ella is determined to prove herself at the school talent show. But when every attempt to find a talent falls flat and her own ordinary acts of kindness steal the show, Ella discovers just how extraordinary ordinary can be!

Genres: Picture Books, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published February 25, 2020

About the author

Born and raised in the Midwest, Amber Hendricks grew up reading everything she could get her hands on- including the morning cereal boxes. That passion melded into writing as well, and by the age of 11 she was writing and binding her own “books”. Although she dreamed of becoming a writer, when it came time for college, Amber opted for a more practical major. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, with an emphasis on Visual Merchandising, from Northwest Missouri State University. Amber has worn many hats in her career : Army wife, Mother, Visual Merchandiser, Certified Pharmacy Technician, and most recently, Childcare Professional. But she has always circled back to her first love of telling stories. Amber currently resides in Missouri with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lively and likable Ella has an issue- nothing about her feels special, noteworthy, or otherwise distinguished enough to help her stand out in a crowd She sets out to win the class talent contest, with frustrations at every turn. In each case, though, her stumbles present ways in which she notices the needs of a classmate, always contributing something to their success or improvement.
The lovely conclusion is validating and uplifting, and should fit well in many classroom (and family) efforts to encourage helpfulness and to value service as a worthy goal.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Extraordinary Ordinary Ella, written by Amber Hendricks, and illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell, a fantastic story of kindness.

Ella has an issue. Everyone she knows is talented at something: her sister Carmen is a graceful dancer, her cousin Kenji is a virtuoso pianist, her best friend Maria is a wizard at baking, and so on. In fact, it seems that everyone at Ella’s school is brilliantly talented at something… except for Ella. So when the school talent show is announced, Ella is excited to enter… but clueless as to what her talent will be. All week, she attempts different routines – ribbon dancing, juggling, knitting – but to no avail. Still, she can be there to support her friends, who often run into problems with their own performances that Ella is quick to assist with or solve. At last, the day of the big talent show arrives, and Ella eagerly watches all her friends perform from the audience. Yet, thanks to her grateful pals, Ella may still get her moment in the spotlight, and find that she’s extraordinarily talented after all.

Lovely. This sweet tale has a great message for little ones: we can’t all be great at everything, and sometimes a hobby or sport or artistic pursuit doesn’t work out. What we can all do, however, regardless of innate ability, is exercise “ordinary” talents: being kind, helpful, and generous with our time and resources. In fact, one of Ella’s most inspiring qualities is that she shows no jealousy or spite towards her peers, even as she struggles; they are her friends, and she wants them to succeed. It’s great modeling for young readers, showing that no matter what our individual talents are, we are all capable of being good to one another. The charming and diverse illustrations add to the warm tone, and the length is perfect for a storytime – JJ loved it. An earnest tale with a timeless lesson, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Maria Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining story about discovering just how extraordinary one's propensity for kindness and talent for nurturing can be. Ella wishes she had a talent, any talent. She can't dance like her sister, play an instrument like her cousin, or cook like her best friend. In fact, no matter what she tries, she's just "extraordinarily, boringly, ordinary Ella." But as each attempt fails, Ella finds that she has just what she needs to help someone else. This is a great example of the text leaving space for the colorful illustrations to create a delightfully, imaginative world for the reader. Using creative alliteration and internal rhyme, along with a cast diverse in nationality and ability, Amber Hendricks and Luciana Navarro Powell create a fun, snappy read aloud, full of heart. I love that Ella's natural generosity and empathy are rewarded. It's a wonderful book to encourage acts of kindness and helpfulness toward others.

[Julie Abery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary Ordinary Ella by Amber Hendricks is a super cute story about a little girl's self discovery. Ella needs a talent...but will she find anything she is good at? She certainly doesn't feel she has any talents at all. This book expresses the self doubt that so many children feel, but Hendrick's text and Luciana Navarro Powell's charming art work together perfectly to bring this story to a happy conclusion. A must for early years classrooms!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella is convinced she doesn't have a talent. Her search for one will leave readers in stitches whether she's making messes in the kitchen or making others cringe from her singing. But Ella makes an extraordinary discovery the night of the talent show. Talents are not always traditional and everyone has something to offer! A lovely story of kindness and self-acceptance.

[Adriana Martinez Figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved seeing kids of different body types and races depicted across the pages, and Ella's difficulty in finding what she wants to do. Everyone needs a little encouragement every now and then, and this book somehow made me very emotional. Ella is truly extraordinary!

[Annette Pimentel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book managed the delicate dance of being funny while still being heart-warming. Ella tries out all sorts of talents that fail in funny ways, but ultimately her talented friends help her discover her unique talent.
(Copy provided for honest review.)

[Charlotte Offsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartwarming story shows that kindness and helping others is an extraordinary talent/gift. It is a story of self-discovery, accepting who you are, and embracing the fact that you are enough just the way you are. I highly recommend this one.

[Cade Schier · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Extraordinary Ordinary Ella" follows a young girl, Ella, who believes she is all too plain and ordinary. She cannot dance like her sister, Carmen, she can't play piano like her cousin, Kenji, and can't bake like her best friend, Maria. This leaves her feeling as if she has no talent herself. An opportunity takes place, though, when her school holds their very first talent show. Determined to find out what she's good at, Ella sets off to practice different talents to show she is extraordinary like everyone else.

Ella once again realizes during this process that she still struggles to master the talents she is trying out, but better finds herself helping her fellow classmates and friends perfect their acts, and while she ends up having nothing to show on the night of the talent show herself, her teacher, Ms. Almazon, takes notice of all her hard work and kindness towards others and leaves her with a special thank you for her "...extraordinary acts of kindness..." This leaves Ella feeling happy that she is extraordinarily ordinary.

This would be a nice future classroom installment in my library as a group read-aloud to show students that it's okay to be "ordinary" or not to worry if they do not have a talent of their own just yet. By showing them that talents can be found elsewhere, it would make a great motivator for others to be kind.

[Abbie McKinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary Ordinary Ella is about a young girl who can’t really find anything she is really extraordinary at. She tried singing, baking, juggling, dancing and more, but she realized none of those were her talent. Later on, Ella was recognized and awarded for her talent she didn’t even realize she had - her kindness and helping others. I think this book could be very relatable to students. Many students may not have a talent or be really great at something…and that’s okay because we can’t control that! But something we can control is our attitude and choosing to be kind and help others. This book teaches that lesson in a great way. I would definitely use it in my classroom to teach that.

[Meera Sriram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella thinks she's plain, ordinary, and boring. This feeling is heightened as everyone around her - peer, friend, and sibling - seem to shine under the spotlight. Poor Ella, she can neither bake nor spell. She tries juggling and dancing, only to fall and fumble. In the end, Ella's special talent warms our heart and brings a smile! The author's choice of active verbs and skill for pacing make this a great story perfect for read-aloud. Striking and charming at the same time, illustrations capture Ella's expressions so well, we're sure to fall in love with our extraordinary, ordinary Ella!

[Paula Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella is extraordinary. Extraordinarily ordinary, that is. When every attempt to find a talent falls flat and her own ordinary acts of kindness steal the show, Ella discovers just how extraordinary ordinary can be!
If the school where I teach subscribes to the six pillars of success (Responsibility, Respect, Citizenship, Trustworthiness, Caring, and Fairness, I would read this book during circle time the week of caring.

[Teaghan Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. It is a book about a girl named Ella who is discouraged because she doesn’t have a talent like all her friends. She ends up realizing her true “talent” is being kind and a good friend. This is a great book to showcase the importance of being good to those around you. I would include this as a read aloud and have it in the classroom library.

[Laurel Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun picture book with a great message. Kids (and adults) will find Ella very relatable. This is a great book for everyone and a must-read for any kids who feel down about not having an impressive talent to show off.

[Erika Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt a connection with Ella right from the very start of this story. Her struggle to find her place among the many talented people around her is such a relatable concept. I love the ending, and I can see this book being a hit in the classroom or a library event.

[Elizabeth Browder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout the book Ella becomes frustrated as all her friends have extraodrinary talents and she cannot find something she is good at. At the end of the story she realizes that being kind and herself (ordinary) can be just as extraordinary.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl realizes that talents take all shapes and forms. Not all of them are fancy and exciting and can be featured in a talent show, but they are all important.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book to celebrate the God given talent to be kind and helpful.

[R Waterfall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly done story about an imperfect girl and how she learns that kindness is the best talent.

[Alexis Abbott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how this book talks about how you do not have to be good at everything to succeed. Everyone had their own unique talents that make them who they are.

[Christie Angleton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sounds almost identical to Hannah E. Harrison's Extraordinary Jane - some of the language in the book is exactly the same! And this book doesn't do it as well as the original at any rate.