Prince isn’t very good at sports. His older brother is, though, and everyone at school thinks Prince should be just like his brother. But Prince doesn’t want to play sports. In fact, he’s not sure what he really wants to do or what he might be good at doing. Prince’s family enjoys all kinds of activities together: sports, of course, but also attending arts events. When his family attends a ballet production, Prince instantly knows he wants to learn to dance – ballet. Once he starts, though, he’s confronted by bullies at school who make fun of Prince and his passion for dancing. Mom to the rescue: “Trust in yourself, and never let what anyone says stop you from doing the things that you love.”

Prince A. Sanders’s picture book story, The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince: Everybody’s Good at Something, is an engaging and educational story about finding one’s place in the world, finding that something that we’re uniquely good at doing. The plot follows Prince as he learns what interests him and then starts to follow his dream, in spite of the bullies at school. His mother is a powerful influence and encourages him to keep following his dream and gives him advice on how to stand up to the bullies. Prince learns valuable lessons in his efforts to follow his dream, but what he really learns, which we all need to learn, is that “all he needed was the confidence to find and do what he loved.” This is Prince’s story, his journey into the world of dance, and doing what he believes in with passion. Beautifully told and illustrated.

The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince: Everybody's Good at Something by Prince A Sanders is a children's picture book that tells the story of Prince, a young boy who chooses to do and be what he loves. The book begins with Prince and his family being introduced, and providing Prince's point of view on his preferences for dressing nicely over wearing sweats, and spending time with his pet hamster, Popcorn. Prince's brother is sporty and Prince is too, but not in the way people think he should be. A night at the ballet has a lasting impression on Prince and as he starts taking dance classes, it becomes clear that he is a special dancer. This does not go down well with the kids at school where he is being bullied and has to learn what to do about it...something no child should have to do.

The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. Prince A Sanders writes a heart-warming story about the harm the social constructs of gender and who “should and should not do what” have on children who flourish in areas erroneously considered outside these lines. For me, this story is personal as I know how this feels, and it was wonderful to be able to read this with my children and then talk to them about it. In a day and age where we read about young children harming themselves as a result of bullying, this book is as timely as it is important. The standout line to me is when Prince's mother asks him if the things the bullies said at school hurt him, and he answered with a very precise, very thoughtful, “No.” Because Prince is doing what is good for Prince, not what the boys or anyone else thinks he should be doing. When all is said and done, and after some awesome practice in bully-repellent with Popcorn, Prince is able to share his athleticism in dance with all and is rewarded with it in kind...and in kindness. Very highly recommended.

When a little boy named Prince is able to put his heart and body into something he loves, ordinary life truly does become extraordinary in the children's book The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince by Prince A Sanders. Prince is a well-balanced elementary school student with a kind heart and a loving family. He has an eye for adventure and an interest in alternative academics with the ability to see what he enjoys in almost everything. Prince's older brother is a prolific athlete and Prince likes to watch and play these sports as well, but when his family goes to a ballet and Prince falls in love with the performance, his journey to fulfilling a new dream of being a danseur is set in motion.

Prince A Sanders captures the heart of a child with a desire for a life outside the traditional, rigidly narrow-minded social construct of masculinity in The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince. It was the title that drew me in initially, a cheeky nod to a passion that should be viewed as perfectly normal, but for reasons that are incomprehensible to parents of artistic children like myself, somehow turns our children into spectacular spectacles. Our little tribe includes a male figure skater who has been consistently applauded for his courage despite the fact that simply doing what someone loves should not require any. Prince is subjected to bullying and even his father initially questions the choice, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and Prince just wants to dance. I loved the illustrations and the story, and the innocence of Prince who does not like being bullied but is also unaffected by the words of the bullies. This sets the book apart from others with similar messages. Prince and his performance were a hit in our home.

In New Rochelle, Prince lived with his parents, brother, teddy bear, and hamster. Prince was seven years old and attended Daniel Webster Elementary school. He lived in the shadow of his brother, Andrew, the star. Andrew excelled at sports, which his family enjoyed. It was unfortunate that Prince couldn’t master any sporting activity, no matter how hard he tried. Boys called him useless at school for his inability to perform in any sport and even compared him to his brother. Prince found his interest and became spectacular at ballet. Yet the bullying, mockery, and teasing got worse because he engaged in a “girl activity.” Would he give up or forge ahead? Find out in The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince by Prince A. Sanders.

The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince by Prince A. Sanders is a must-read storybook for children between one and ten years old. It is educative, concise, and will help build the confidence of kids and adults who think they are good for nothing. This book also addresses the proper way to react to bullying while maintaining dignity. I loved the graphics because they mirror children from different races who will feel seen. The colors were also attractive enough to captivate even kids with a short attention span. This book teaches that we all have unique, individual strengths. We must never try to fit in but stand out because comparison is the killer of joy. Also, there shouldn’t be gender bias in interest areas, but passion and ability. Great job, Prince.