The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene by Corey Ann Haydu (published 2026) is a body-swap fantasy novel set in the real world but also the fantastical world that Auden “Denny” Greene created herself. On her twelfth birthday, Denny finds herself in the world of Sorrowfeld, where dragons threaten the kingdom, a world that she and her friend Runa have been writing about and describing for years. Meanwhile, Princess Auden of Sorrowfeld, an orphan charged with saving her kingdom from the dragons, now finds herself in Denny’s ordinary non-magical world, Magnolia Bend. Yet, although there aren’t witches and dragons in that form in the real world, there are still battles to be fought. Princess Auden, raised to conquer dragons, must be as strong as Denny must be defeating the dragons.
This is both a princess tale and an issues book. On the one hand, Denny has written The Tale of Dragons True, creating a magical land where princesses are fancy and yet magnificent dragons swarm in the skies. Now she must face that world, determining how to resolve the problem of the dragons. Now that she is twelve, she’s expected to be a “true princess.” On the other hand, Princess Auden must deal with big problems: Mom’s alcoholism, losing friends, looking for new friends. Now that she’s twelve, she’s expected to be able to deal with these problems. Which of the dragons are more threatening? I liked the fine line between the two types of dragons. The symbolism of dragons was highly relatable, for in real life we all face dragons of one kind or another.
I saw this book as a recommended read for a possible Mock Newbery 2027 program. I didn’t find The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene to be intriguingly written or complex in plot development, but it was solid and satisfying. So, I don’t think it will end up as a Newbery contender as one of the best books of the year. I did really like it and hope it finds the kid readers who either love dragons or face dragons in their lives.
