If you're tired of reading books about a hero who is unbelievably special and gifted (Harry Potter, I'm looking at you), then I've got the antidote. The new book Remarkable by Lizzie K. Foley is about a ten-year-old girl named Jane Doe who is unremarkable in every way. She has no special talents or abilities. She's just a completely ordinary kid.

Unfortunately for our plain Jane, she lives in a town called Remarkable that's chock full of extremely talented people. Her brother, Anderson Brigby Bright Doe III, is super good-looking and a talented painter. Her mother, Angelina Mona Linda Doe, is a famous architect. Even the town dentist, Dr. Josephine Christobel Pike, is remarkably gifted (though no one in Remarkable ever has cavities).

Jane, our undistinguished heroine, finally gets a shot at adventure when two new kids show up in her class at school and pirates come to town and start making trouble.

This light, fun novel is full of ridiculousness that kids will love. In addition to pirates, the story features evil twins, a mysterious lake monster, and a psychic pizza lady. While it's not the most remarkable book I've read this year, it's still a remarkably enjoyable romp with a little mystery to boot. ( )

1 Ordinary Girl
2 Trouble-Making Twins
1 Self-Involved Genius Artist in Crush
1 Missing Composer
1 Lake Monster
Several Jars of Generic Jam
Pirate Lessons
2 Secret Identities ( )

A fun read about Jane Doe, an unremarkable girl in a very remarkable family in the town of Remarkable where everyone is remarkable except for Jane and her Grandpa, John Doe. Jane is the only student in the "public" school where she is taught by the very unremarkable teacher, Ms. Schnabel who is the sister of Dr. Presnelda, the head of the Remarkable Gifted School. Jane's adventures begin when she meets the Grimlet twins who are smart, mean, and disgusting. The plot includes a pirate, a elusive sea monster names Lucky, a dentist with no clients (everyone's teeth is perfect), a weather machine invented by the Grimlets, and many remarkable citizens of the town of Remarkable. Fun read that proves that the best is really ordinary. ( )

This book is about the way kids can feel like outsiders, which is taken to the extreme in this absurd situation where Jane is the only ordinary person around (besides her grandfather). The humor is funny for adults and the insightful child - like Jane's last name being "Doe" and the teachers playing fantasy football in the staff room. (That definitely feels like a tidbit thrown in for classroom teachers reading this book to or with students.)

This a page turning mystery story that will keep kids guessing. It is about a town, Remarkable, where everyone is extraordinary. However, ten year old Jane Doe is the only average person in town and is kind of an outcast. When twins and a pirate captain come to town to reveal everyone's secretes that make them extraordinary it is Jane Doe who saves the day and the town. A great short mystery for young readers. ( )