Extraordinary*

March 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Simply put, this story is funny. Despite what Eileen Codlin wrote in her best-selling book about Jennifer Van Der Berg, the 14-year-old's life is no fairy tale. Sure, her days might consist of real vampires, a pooping unicorn, and a fake fairy godparent, but mostly Jennifer is just a girl trying to figure out her place in the world. Extraordinary follows what really happens when drunk and foul-mouthed Gregory Grue presents himself to Jennifer as her fairy godfather. His arrival sparks a chain of events that includes vampire conversions, a murder, and a dreamy long-lost friend coming back to town. The "real" story is peppered with excerpts from Codlin's book, which are basically some not-so-subtle jabs at the most popular young adult books of the past couple of years. Selzer has created a unique story that will surely find a place in the hearts of teens who gag over the romances of sparkling vampires. The book is unpredictable, silly, and compelling despite the repeated mention of how vile unicorn poop is. Selzer has found a great balance between the fantastical and relatable, tapping into the teenage challenge of being original by doing more than just dying your hair purple. A fun and timely parody.-Emily Chornomaz, Camden County Library System, NJ

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
In this quirky, original tale, Jennifer Van Der Berg tells the real story of her life, not the one Eileen Codlin wrote in her bestselling (but baloney) book. Jennifer did have a fairy godfather and had to kiss a vampire to stay alive, but Eileen never mentioned that the fairy godfather ruined Jenn's life. A snarky, witty narrative voice enhances the story.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)