The Extra-Ordinary Princess

by Carolyn Q. Ebbitt

Amelia, the fourth sister in a line of princesses, is sure her red hair and non-princessy ways–not to mention being the last-born–will mean an easy life of never being queen. But when an ancient curse comes to life, an evil uncle tries to take over their peaceful kingdom, and her three sisters are turned into a tree and two swans, Amelia and her best friend Henry must gather the forces of her magically blessed family, and save Gosling from complete destruction.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fairy Tales, Young Adult, Adventure, Magic

324 pages, Hardcover

First published August 4, 2009

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read. I enjoyed this whimsical fairytale about the youngest princess of 4 sisters saving the kingdom and her family from her evil uncle Count Raven. I also loved the cover art for this book which I got at Big Lots for 3 dollars. The book had 324 pages and I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good fairytale fantasy.

[Connie D · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be enjoyable for girls who like fairy tales and adventures. Parts seemed a little too preachy (here's a lesson for you to learn, children...), but the lessons were appropriate and I got caught up in the adventure. A variety of good characters, some 3-D and some not. (One beef: Some of the planning could have been done while walking instead of waiting around for a specific time to plan.)

[Elinor Loredan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book is five-star for me; the second half is two or even one-star.

The first half had me thinking with delight that I was obtaining another favorite book. Several chapters were taken to draw Amelia's character, her 'ordinariness' up to the point of the plague outbreak. I was very captured by her, her mother the queen, the storytelling, and the rest of the family. It seemed that the plot would center upon Amelia discovering and displaying strong traits that are not 'ordinary', especially with her power stance on the cover. Things looked very promising as it turned out that she alone could save her kingdom.

In the second half, however, the story grows increasingly away from focus on Amelia. She is no longer a rounded, dynamic character who leads the series of events, but merely follows the lead of her friends and family. Nothing she says or does distinguishes her as uniquely Amelia or as developing confidence and strength. Frankly, she becomes very ordinary indeed, and worse, her commentary shows little of what she is thinking or feeling. Throughout the struggle to find the way to break the Count's spell, she says and thinks nothing of how she feels useless, lower than her sisters and unworthy, as one would expect, and the resolution of the plot really does not hinge upon her beyond a little heroic speech that was utterly unconvincing, as nothing up to it warrants its inspiration.

So faded and colorless Amelia became, I stopped caring about her and just finished the book to find out what happens. What were the author and editors thinking? The book's whole premise, stated on the back cover and by the first half of it, is missing and unfulfilled.

[Scribblegirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly quick read for ages 9-12. It's very cute without being adorable or cloying, and I like the girl power messaging. The titular character is a princess named Amelia who is a bit of a tomboy and probably has a learning disability, although Ebbitt never explains what that is, and I wish she had. I imagine she was a bit vague so that all kids with learning disabilities could identify. Whatever the reason, it was a nice inclusion in the character's traits, and I'm glad Ebbitt thought of it.

Like most fairytales, there are mature issues in the book; people die, there is a wicked sorcerer-type with scary avian minions, and evil deeds run rampant. But also like most fairytales, heroes and helpers abound.

I originally gave this 3 stars, because I skipped some pages, but pre-teen me would not have, so it's really a 3.5 star book, and I'm rounding up to 4. It's not a brilliant read, but it is imaginative and features a little heroine who is brave, smart, and different, and I really like stories about smart, quirky, tomboy princesses, especially when the constant message throughout is that who you are is more important than what you are or how you look.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I read this book but, I remember getting this book from a random lady asking me “If I liked to read?” I did not know her and she just handed me this book saying it’s now mine. At the time I remember thinking oh okay thank you but, as I dove into the book I started to relate to Amelia. The book was amazing though and I could not put it down. It just was crazy how the lady knew this book would be for me. (Thank you, random lady who let me have this book.)

[Jenny Pyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I don't know what it is about it, but this book just made my heart swell!(and if you've never had that feeling about a book, I give you my condolences.;))

The plot line was wonderful! There were so many times where I had questions and I wanted answers, but I knew I just had to keep reading to get them. I love the relationship of the sisters, having a sister of my own I know what its like. It's wondeful. That spirt came out in Merrill, Rose, Lily, and Amelia and added a beautiful touch to the book.

Henry. Oh Henry. He would make any girl's heart flutter! ;) His character was strong and yet soft, funny and yet serious, forcful and yet kind. He wasn't afraid to tell Amelia what to do, or his opinion on a matter, even though she was a princess. He was her friend, and wanted what was best for her, and Gossling.

This book is definitely a keeper and one I'm sure I'll read "The Extra-Ordinary Princess" again! Maybe when I have little girls of my own, this will be a book read out loud before bedtime.

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning seemed to be a bit of a rip off of The Ordinary Princess but as the story progressed it differed and then reminded me heavily of Tuesdays at the Castle. Suffice it to say that it was nice little yarn, but it was too wordy to appeal to me as a 10-year-old and to hodge-podge to appeal to me now. The characters were flat and, almost exactly like Jessica Day George, everything just happens to work itself out. Books like this always seemed slightly condescending to me when I was young anyway. The author doesn't think you're smart enough to get it all in a nice beginning set up so they keep reminding you of convenient facts.
Nothing wrong morally with it(THAT was refreshing), I would probably recommend it to a 10-year-old girl.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming book!

In the vein of The Ordinary Princess, this book was a delight from start to finish. It had an old-fashioned feel that reminded me of the books I loved as a child, like the Streatfeild "Shoes" books, A Little Princess, and the very best fairy tales. Princess Amelia is a delight, and so is her best friend Henry, as they racket around the palace under the kind eye of Amelia's loving parents, her tutors and nurses. When a mysterious evil befalls the country, however, and Amelia's older sisters are transformed, Amelia and Henry must save the day as only an extra-ordinary princess and her loyal friend can.

Really, just a joy to read, I can't wait to see what Ebbitt does next!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as a 'daily deal' from Amazon and was pleasantly surprised. Amelia is the fourth princess in line for the throne and more interested in fencing than decorum. A horrible plague is ravaging the kingdom and the children of the capital are evacuated to the summer palace in the mountains. The story gets complicated and Amelia’s role in freeing the people plays out in a very satisfying way. The story is perfect for a new Disney animated story, imaginative and sprinkled with many original characters. Maybe that is the author’s dream but as a book it stands on its own and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. Would make a great read-aloud book as well.

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did anyone notice the hidden name in the Jeweled Mountains of Nylorac? Nylorac is really Carolyn backwards.

I'd rate this a 3.5. It's a fun story and will be a perfect for my little girl when she gets to be about 9 or 10 years old.

[Cloie Rainilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a charming little book. Although it shall only receive three stars, because of the whole rushed ending. I really enjoyed the characters and storyline, just wish that it had gone into more depth. That's really all I have to say.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amelia is the fourth princess of Gossling. She's convinced she'll never be as good at anything as her three older sisters are. She feels super plain and ordinary. But when a plague sweeps across the land, her parents die working for their people, and eldest princess Merrill is still a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday. The law dictates the closest male relative will rule in the interim, which unfortunately is Count Raven. Raven has been waiting to get his clutches on the throne and he's not about to leave any time soon if he can help it. Soon, thanks to Count Raven's manouverings, the fate of the kingdom and her sisters rests on Amelia's shoulders. It's overwhelming, and Amelia doesn't feel up to the task. What can an ordinary princess do?

I haven't seen it said anywhere, but this very much seems like an adaptation of the lesser known fairytale "The Six Swans." It features a sibling trying to break an enchantment that has the rest of her siblings stuck in nonhuman forms (2 of the girls are even swans). Ebbitt has added more to the story with the plague and an ancient magic that the girls in her family inherit. Amelia's feelings about her inadequacy and ordinariness will resonate with many readers. For the most part she's a fun character to follow along. Her best friend Henry is a fantastic kid too. I really liked him, and I would love for Ebbitt to write another book about him. I was sad when the Queen died, she was a fantastic woman. Ebbitt kept the violence and malevolence in the story to the bare minimum. Every time there was a potential for things to get really tense or go really bad, Amelia got the easy way out. It made it a much lighter read, but at times it felt a bit too convenient. The irony is, another part that bothered me is the way Amelia used her wishing stones, because she made the most round about wishes to accomplish her goals. (For example, when needing to get to the top of a mountain faster she wishes for a horse instead of just wishing to be at the top of the mountain...) One other minor issue I had was the timing at the end of the book. I think it needed one more edit. At one point Henry says they have 3 days left to break the spell. They travel for 2 days, arrive somewhere, and then they say they have 48 hours left to break the spell...umm, by my math they somehow gained an extra day in there. It was minor but it bugged me. Overall I did like it. It is a sweet story of familial love and goodness triumphing over evil. Recommended to fans of fairy tale rewrites, fantasy adventures, and less tense fantasy fans.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Deaths because of a plague mentioned. Violence is threatened but no one is seriously hurt (well, except for a snail getting eaten).

[Anne Beardsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Look, it's a fine book, okay?

There's nothing hugely wrong with this book at any point. It has all the right elements...I can't remember the heroine's name.

I remember her sisters' names. And the boy the family had more or less adopted. But the protagonist is just so...so....

Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em. This one got handed greatness in the Great Cosmic Destiny Lottery, and wasn't even paying attention at the time, being much more interested in her own inner feelings of inadequacy and Being Left Out of Greatness.
That's just her prestige. Her personality, sadly, barely gets up to 'mediocre, in an adolescent, mildly self-absorbed sort of way.'

Sigh. I cheered when she started swordwork, hoping that the heroine would finally -- finally! love something or strive at something, find a reason to push herself, to be grateful, to be fascinated, to work at it. I saw none of that, just: "...and she totally liked it, at was naturally way good at it (this from a girl with manifestly no athleticism, coordination, discipline, staying power, or any known abilities of observation or reflexes? Tell me she loved it so much she overcame her weaknesses!)...and it was like, way nice to actually be good at something." She didn't fall in love with swords. She didn't break a sweat. Certainly no blood or tears contributed to this process. And other than having checked the box of 'skill attained', we never see thought, enthusiasm, or care going into it again.
And that's when I gave up on the character. Even the sword thing was just a nice brief break from her being whiny, and a setup for the future.

She eventually drifts, navel-gazes, and is pushed (at one point literally) into 'greatness'.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a frustrating read. It started out well, with character introductions and world building, but the last, say, third of the book seemed to move at break-neck speed, as if the author was rushing to finish it (or, frankly, like it was written by two different people). But the most annoying thing was the simple, logistical errors that just didn't make sense and took me right out of the story. There were a few, but here is one example:

Princess Amelia is given three white stones, each one representing a wish (pg 179). She uses her first wish to save Henry (pg 188). She uses her second wish to unpoison Meg (pg 278). She uses her third wish for a giant horse (pg 292). And then she somehow still has a wish left, which she uses to get back to Gossling City (pgs 296-297). That's an obvious error that any reader could pick up on, yet it still made it to the published book.

There were a lot of similar issues in this book, though that was the most obvious, and for that reason I won't re-read or recommend this book.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm rating this four stars purely for the nostalagia... I used to go to the library and pick this book up whenever I saw it. I hadn't touched it in years of course, and learned that the library retired the book. Curious if it was as good as I remembered, I went and bought it online.
I can see why younger me absolutely loved this story. It has a lot of elements I loved, and rereading this was amazing. It was like going into another world. A familiar one that childhood me once loved then forgot over time.
Growing up and learning more about the writing and critiquing world pointed out some plot holes in this story to me, keeping it from being five stars, but I still love this book. I've missed reading it.

[Lia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled so much with this rating because for me right now it's a 3.5 if I'm being generous but it is a children's book so perhaps as a 10 year old I would have easily loved it idk idk

It's a big adventure with likeable characters and important messages but it's all very shallow. Just confidence and confidence but things simply happened to mc when they needed to and everyone gave her a push to the very end so there was nothing extra-ordinary there. If anything it was a bit mean to keep her so normal while everyone else rose beyond themselves. And even if it's for children it's hard for me to accept such blatant plot holes with the 3 wishes becoming 4 and the days travelling never matching.

[Saba · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the fourth (haha what a coincidence) book I read on my bookshelf challenge. I've decided to try and knock out any books on my shelves that I haven't read that have been sitting there for a long time. This one in particular has been sitting there for at three years. I'm kind of upset that it ruins my dark aesthetic for my 2020 books, but oh well 😞. I actually quite enjoyed this, even though it's middle grade, and I usually stick to YA or Adult. Nonetheless, I liked how the author wove in the morals of the story, and had multiple POV's. I would recommend this book as a story time read to read to children, but it still is enjoyable to others if they want a short, easy read.

[Britt, Book Habitue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe more 3.5. as another reviewer pointed out, the second half feels like it loses focus some...there's a certain "well that escalated quickly" element to it.
Also, reading this in Feb of 2021, with everything that's been happening throughout the world and in the US...well, if it were a new release I'd accuse it of trying to hard to be a metaphor for current events. As it's more than 10 years old that's clearly not the case, but I spent a fair amount of time crying "too soon!"

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story about sisters, a kingdom, and a little bit of magic. The youngest princess feels ordinary compared to her beautiful older sisters, but when they are all captured by an evil spell, she discovers that even ordinary girls can do great things. I liked the messages in this story, and it was different. Well done.

[Beka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a wonderful book!!!! Besides being a great story, it's also beautifully written. I really connected with Amelia, but besides that Ms. Ebbitt is really great at making you feel the emotions of the character. I'll definitely be looking for more books from this author.

[Arwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is honestly one of my favorite childhood stories. Although they sort of did everything in the last few chapters, the plot was still interesting and I appreciated the themes. It's a good read, with a nice ending.

[Sharon the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out strong, felt rushed and not as in depth the second half. Fun story for younger princess lovers.

“Patience, every journey has its share of stops and each one serves some purpose.” Good life lesson.

[Leiana Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some content of magic called witchcraft (can be used for good or evil) and the main villain can be freaky at times. Other than that, a very charming fairytale along the same lines as Jessica Day George and Gail Carson Levine.

[Lab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. I definitely recommend it.

[Amelia G · Rating 4 out of 5]

a cute little fairy-tale story (also I may be biased because the heroine has my name) with a satisfying climax and resolution, though the plot seemed to go around in circles at times

[Sheridan Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book. Written nicely from the first page to the last! Never be afraid to be extra-ordinary!

[Alexallen8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it was great, I like the adventures Amelia goes on.

[Lowerthecucumber]

Was this the "I'm a tree" one?

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was terrible. Too little adventure or fights.

[Joya Zielke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was okay, but not one of my favorites. But, the mystery in it was amazing. :)