The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene

Two 12-year-olds—one from the real world, the other from an imagined fantasy realm—unexpectedly switch places in this introspective adventure. Eleven-year-old Denny distracts herself from her mother’s alcohol relapse by taking refuge in Sorrowfield, the shared fantasy world she writes about with her best friend Runa. But when Runa becomes more interested in fitting in with the popular girls than talking about dragons and princesses—and insists that Denny leave Sorrowfield behind to do the same—Denny worries that her only comforts are slipping away. Then, on her 12th birthday, Denny inexplicably swaps places with her Sorrowfield counterpart Princess Auden. While Auden navigates the complexities of changing middle school dynamics and a mother in crisis, Denny finds herself taking up the princess’s duties, encountering witches, and training to defeat the dragons that plague Sorrowfield. And to swap back, they must face the other’s greatest trials. Haydu (The Widely Unknown Myth of Apple & Dorothy) tackles a bevy of complicated subjects involving substance reliance and peer pressure as the characters search for the strength to stand up for themselves. Fantastical, high-adrenaline action sequences sow fun throughout and juxtapose the weighty themes. Auden and Denny read as white. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Victoria Marini, High Line Literary. (Jan.)