Thank you Annick Press Ltd. and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book follows eleven year old, Mimi, who loves all things extraordinary. She is on a mission to become extraordinary, like her dad, in hopes that he will recruit her to be a part of the circus with him. She decides that she is going to put on a show and does everything she can to make sure it is perfect for her father. However, the people in her life, and her own memories, keep getting in her way.

This cover of this book is what drew me in. It was bright, fun, and inviting. The story was very cute and easy to follow. Although, "extraordinary", "ordinary" and "extra ordinary" were used a bit too much for my liking, and did distract from the story a bit, I understood why it was there. The story is being told from the perspective of a young girl, who would talk like that.

I loved the message of the story as well and how it was delivered. I was expecting to tear up when I started this book, but I definitely did.

All in all, I liked this book, and I think any young child who reads it, will too.

I didn’t request this?! But NetGalley still approved me for it? Can someone please explain? I didn’t get this book sent to me by the publisher either :/

Great book for middle school children. I enjoyed the premise and would recommend for personal, school, and public library collections.

This book was received as an ARC from Annick Press Ltd - Annick Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was smiling through and through and loved the passion and determination Mimi had when she got her hamster Harvey and rehearsed her circus act even when nobody believed in her and her family thought the whole thing was ridiculous or it was a deterrent for Mimi to help her through her father leaving for the circus. While reading this book, I could not help but think of how inspiring it was for Mimi to have a dream and find inspiration from the ordinary and make it extraordinary. This book I immediately considered a potential candidate for our next battle of the books competition and there are so many details that could make tough but fun questions.

We will consider adding this title to our J Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I read this book with my eight year old and she was bored with it early on. She normally likes most books but couldnt seem to get into this one. I thought the story was just ok myself.

Mimi is nothing less then EXTRAORDINARY. Everything she does is extraordinary and she is quite an expert when it comes to the subject. So why would her dad be anything less then extraordinary as well. In fact he is the one who taught her the word. Being so special comes though with some down sides. Because she is so amazing she can't go to school like normal kids and she needs to find something that will just make her a bit extra extraordinary so that she can impress her dad. Her journey to impress her dad leads to an investigation of where he might of gone and what she can do so that she can impress him enough to join him on his own new adventure. Along the way she makes some new friends, mends some friendships, and learns that sometimes some things in life aren't extraordinary, they are just ordinary or not ordinary and that is okay.

I loved this book. I love how Mimi is like so many kids dealing with a situation which they don't always understand. she goes through stages. Any change, especially the one that Mimi is facing is super hard to process. So I love that she has so much love and support that while trying to help her see the truth still support her goal of being extraordinary. Overall this is just a great book. It doesn't paint anyone as a viallain or a bad person, it just shows a little girl coming to terms with something that is hard for anyone to face. I think this will be a great book to recommend to children dealing with grief or a big change in their life.

Thank you so much to Annick Press Ltd. and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

It is a good book. This book is good for elementary or middle school kids. I did think this book was really cute.

Thank you NetGalley and Annick Press for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. The fact that is was told through Mimi's point of view meant that we were feeling alongside her; her frustrations, her fear, her hope, it was all so palpable. I feel like we know just enough to keep us engaged and questioning. I could constantly ask why and ask for more answers, but having those answers erases some of that childlike wonder, that hope that these were partial truths and not just a fleeting dream. I loved looking at this book through the eyes of an unknowing but hopeful child instead of a cynical, 'realistic' adult. I was able to step away from my own worries and problems and try to live in an extraordinary moment.

Thank you for the journey. I can't wait to see the finished illustrations, and thanks for the spelling reminder, because I doubt I'll ever question how to spell Extraordinary again!

I loved this. It's really well written and just a great read. I would definitely recommend it to all fans of the genre. Hope to read more from the author.

I'm torn. I love the idea for this book, but had such a difficult time really enjoying it. Harvey and the extraordinary has the potential to be a deeply emotional journey, but a few key ingredients seem to be missing.
The nuances between Extraordinary and Extra-Ordinary are difficult to convey through the text alone. When reading aloud, I can give the word Extra-Ordinary a negative tone, but young readers may not pick up on the negative connotation from the text alone. I had difficulty remembering to give it that mental tone even when I was well into the book. Because of that, it would stand better as an audio book.
The hints that something is wrong in Mimi's life may be too subtle for younger readers to pick up on. I'd rather see a little more struggle for her to keep her imaginary world together, a few more cracks in it or open them a bit wider. Her mom should be aware of Mimi's imagined world because of the breakdown at school (which is revealed via flashbacks) and could be used as a vehicle or catalyst.
Harvey the hamster has a key place in the title but actually feels like he takes the sidelines. There's no breakdown when Mimi's grandma makes him stay at home even though she's supposed to be pretty attached to him. The text does little to show me what Mimi actually sees in him, and I believe she loves him only because the text says (but doesn't show) that she does.
Finally, the end was a little anticlimactic for me. She goes through a depression and phase of acceptance, being ok with just ordinary, but the book never seems to face the full range of feelings that a child in this situation would (in particular the anger at her dad for leaving.) Because of that, it feels a little like she's still pretending in the end. I feel like it would be better if the breakdown were a little more descriptive or a little more raw.

There is something to Harvey and the Extraordinary that tells a good-hearted story, unfortunately, that something is lost under unnatural dialog and a gouge-my-eyes-out number of "extraordinary" and "extra ordinary" and "ordinary." After the first few pages, I was mentally screaming, "I get it!" but the character never heard me. What story there was shared a feeling that many children feel, that of wanting to be seen and appreciated by an absent parent. Unfortunately, there were too many things that distracted me from the story to enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and Annick Press for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

Harvey and the Extraordinary really missed the mark with me. I found it to be average or just ordinary on Mimi's rating scale. Mimi is practicing an act to make herself extraordinary so she can join her dad in the circus. The message was good, finding the extraordinary in ordinary everyday things, but the execution was not good. Mimi was a times endearing but other times annoying. She just did not seem like a realistic 5th grader to me. She continually talked about extra-ordinary, ordinary, and extraordinary until it got annoying. In addition, Mimi seemed immature throughout the story and then suddenly turned wise and philosophical at the end. It was not a winner for me, and a i don't think it will be a hit with it's target audience either.

Extraordinary: A term that is used for things that are spectacular and beyond compare. Harvey and the Extraordinary Centers around one girls quest to bring her father back and prove to him that she is extraordinary. The only catch? She believes he is a circus performer. That, along with Harvey her hamster, Mini rehearses to put on a circus act that will make her dad bring her away with him.
Mini is a 11 year old girl who will resonate with children. She is relatable and will hit home with anyone missing a parent. The other characters well well with the story and allow you to believe that the dad will be return. I enjoyed the message of this story but was disappointed with the mid end reveal. It left me confused on the flashback scenes with the father and was left puzzled. This book may be a tough read for those who have lost a parent or for those who are wishing for a happier ending. Although this book does have a message Of strength when disappointment hits, it may be tough for those struggling with divorce.

Thank you NetGalley and Annick Press for the gifted book!

Mimi misses her dad who has joined the circus and she wants to prove to him that she is extraordinary too! Because she is of course the best at telling you if things are ordinary, extra ordinary, or extraordinary! 

Along the way it is revealed that maybe Mimi isn't the most reliable narrator as the layers of the story unfold. The mystery along with Mimi's earnest attempt at impressing her dad while navigating her feelings makes this a quick and endearing read.