About Average

Gr 3-6–Jordan Johnston wants to find a way to be extraordinary instead of average by the end of sixth grade. She’s a C student even though she tries hard, she’s not short or tall, and she feels just plain ordinary. Her list of things she is “okay at” (singing, running, telling jokes, and soccer) and “stinks at” (softball, bowling, crossword puzzles, and tennis) is longer than the things she is “great at” (babysitting and gardening). Her list gets into the wrong hands, and Marlea uses it as fodder to make fun of her. Jordan attempts to stop the bullying by responding with kindness. The third-person narrative about Jordan is interspersed with chapters featuring Joe the Weather Guy worrying about a possible late-spring storm. Tensions rise as a tornado hits the area, allowing Jordan to display her extraordinary talent. Clements offers a cast of believable characters as well as solutions for dealing with bullies. Pencil illustrations sprinkled throughout each chapter add to the story. While the natural disaster seems a bit forced, Clements’s fans will be hooked.–Sarah Polace, Cuyahoga Public Library System, OH