Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen

By Deborah Hopkinson, Qin Leng (Illustrator)

Discover how a quiet girl transformed into a literary legend, crafting a new kind of novel.

6.0/7 Bookroo expert·4.3/5 Goodreads · 907 ratings

40 pages· 799 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Meet young Jane Austen, a quiet observer with a love for reading. In a world of grand adventures and romances, she dared to write differently, creating a new genre. How did this ordinary girl become an extraordinary writer? Follow Jane's journey from a shy child to a literary icon, capturing the essence of human nature in her timeless novels. This beautifully illustrated picture book invites children to explore the life of one of history's most beloved authors, offering a glimpse into the mind that changed literature forever. What stories will Jane's observations inspire?

From the publisher

A gorgeous and inspiring picture book biography of Jane Austen, one of the most beloved writers of all time, from award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson. 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. Parents and grandparents, as well as teachers and librarians, will enjoy introducing children to Jane Austen through this accessible, beautifully packaged picture book.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 40
Words: 799
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: ~769L

Themes & topics

Books about Jane Austen Books about girls and women Books about culture Books about 1800-1849 Books about authors

What readers & critics say

Reviews

6.0

out of 7

6.0

“Beautifully illustrated in dreamy watercolor, this is a well-written and engaging tale of Jane Austen's life that not only gives her life's history in an approachable way, but also explains how she broke conventions to write about the ordinary rather than the dramatic, making it extraordinary in the way she wrote about it.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one