Extraordinary by Penny Harrison

Illus. by Kate Wilson. New Frontier Publishing, 2020. ISBN: 9781925594911. 32pp.
(Age: 3+) Many books extol the virtue of being extraordinary, of reaching for the stars, of fulfilling your potential, but what if we take stock of this and look for the extraordinary in the everyday, look at the stars for sure, but do not forget what is around us and under our feet. This book reveals that the ordinary is just as extraordinary, the time we share with friends and family, the walks we take in the woods, the time out camping with the family, snuggling into a comfy chair by the fire to read a book. All the things suggested do not blaze and boom, trumpet and bloom, but celebrate the quiet moments of life, the everyday, the ordinary. By stopping and taking account of things around us we can feel the breeze on our cheeks, see the flutter of a bird's wing, see the flowers bloom, watch the moon through the night, watch out for the moment, the magic in the everyday.
The best moments in life are those we share with friends and family. They may be ordinary, simple, unremarkable but they are moments we will remember and share.
Readers will scan the cute and luminous water colour pages by New Zealand illustrator, Katie Wilson, peering at the detail included on each page, checking off the things they do with their families and friends, recognising their simplicity but also the part these moments play in our lives, bringing us together. Teacher's notes are available. Themes: Friendship, Family.
Fran Knight