Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen: The Story of Six Novels, Three Notebooks, a Writing Box, and One Clever Girl

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest writers.

But before that, she was just an ordinary girl.

In fact, young Jane was a bit quiet and shy; if you had met her back then, you might not have noticed her at all. But she would have noticed you.

Jane watched and listened to all the things people around her did and said, and locked those observations away for safekeeping.

Jane also loved to read. She devoured everything in her father’s massive library and before long, she began creating her own stories. In her time, the most popular books were grand adventures and romances, but Jane wanted to go her own way…and went on to invent an entirely new kind of novel.

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen includes a timeline and quotes from Austen’s most popular novels.

Deborah Hopkinson is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, including Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen, illustrated by Qin Leng;?Michelle, illustrated by AG Ford; Stagecoach Sal, illustrated by Carson Ellis; Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek, illustrated by John Hendrix; Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, illustrated by James Ransome and winner of the IRA Award; and Apples to Oregon, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter and winner of the Golden Kite Award. She lives near Portland, Oregon.

Qin Leng was born in Shanghai and later moved to France, then to Montreal in Canada. She now lives in Toronto with her husband and works as a designer and illustrator. She grew up surrounded by paintings, and her father, an artist himself, was a great influence on her. Qin graduated from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema and has received many awards for her animated short films. Her picture books have been nominated for such prizes as the prestigious Governor General’s Literary Award, and she won the APAAL for Best Picture Book.

I absolutely love introducing my girls to famous people through picture books. This way they can learn about a person in an age appropriate way and with gorgeous illustrations to enjoy. Then when they are older and perhaps learn more about said person they will remember the tid-bits of information they picked up on when they read the picture book. Jane Austen is indeed one of the greatest authors of all time and this book is a fabulous way to introduce my girls to her…and one day…they will get to read her famous works all on their own. For now I have piqued their interest in a famous female author all because I have read them this book.