Extraordinary

Last spring, Pansy chickened out on going to spring break camp, even though she’d promised her best friend, Anna, she’d go. It was just like when they went to get their hair cut for Locks of Love; only one of them walked out with a new hairstyle, and it wasn’t Pansy. But Pansy never got the chance to make it up to Anna. While at camp, Anna contracted meningitis and a dangerously high fever, and she hasn’t been the same since. Now all Pansy wants is her best friend back—not the silent girl in the wheelchair who has to go to a special school and who can’t do all the things Pansy used to chicken out of doing. So when Pansy discovers that Anna is getting a surgery that might cure her, Pansy realizes this is her chance—she’ll become the friend she always should have been. She’ll become the best friend Anna’s ever had—even if it means taking risks, trying new things (like those scary roller skates), and running herself ragged in the process.

Pansy’s chasing extraordinary, hoping she reaches it in time for her friend’s triumphant return. But what lies at the end of Pansy’s journey might not be exactly what she had expected—or wanted.

Extraordinary is a heartfelt, occasionally funny, coming-of-age middle grade novel by debut author Miriam Spitzer Franklin. It’s sure to appeal to fans of Cynthia Lord’s Rules and will inspire young friends to cherish the times they spend together. Every day should be lived like it’s extraordinary.

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Miriam Spitzer Franklin has been sharing her love for reading and writing with students for years as an elementary and middle school teacher. She currently teaches language arts to middle school students. Miriam lives with her husband, two daughters, and two pampered cats in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"A gentle story. . . . Most readers will understand long before Pansy does that she is setting herself up for disappointment, but they will also recognize that Pansy's dedication to her friend is plenty extraordinary in itself." —Publishers Weekly

"North Carolina author Franklin firmly grasps the climate and struggles among kids today. Her crystal-clear writing is filled with rich detail and believable characters. The sensitive story will resonate with young girls wrestling with friendship pains." —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"[An] effective debut. . . . the ending, in which Pansy accepts the reality of Anna’s situation, is suitably affecting." —Booklist

"Though Pansy, Anna, and Andy are in fifth grade, the themes are universal, and this could easily appeal to young teens as well as the middle grade set. . . . A fine addition to upper elementary and middle school collections where weighty realistic fiction is in demand." —School Library Journal

"Extraordinary is a delightful tale of loyalty, friendship, and hope." —Karen Harrington, author of Courage for Beginners and Sure Signs of Crazy

"An inspiring, beautifully told story of friendship, hope, and the power of positive thinking, even in the face of deep disappointment." —Dianna Dorisi Winget, author of A Million Ways Home