We admire “Extraordinary Feats,” but accomplishing them isn’t a breeze if you’re a bee. Sometimes a drone will rise to the occasion, zero in on the sweetest field of flowers, making for a humdinger batch of honey.The characters in this month’s Book Buzz Picks rise to challenges and succeed in their endeavors, turning ordinary lives into journeys of learning, requiring courage and fortitude. They’re the bees’ knees!* * * * * * * * * * *“Anything But Ordinary Addie: the True Story of Adelaide Hermann, Queen of Magic,” by Mara Rockliff, is sure to thrill and amaze.Pulling a rabbit out of a hat was child’s play for Adelaide. She performed magic for 65 years and hobnobbed with the rich and famous. Born in London in 1853, Addie excelled in a career that was nearly impossible for women to break into.“Addie never wanted to be ordinary. She wanted to astonish, shock and dazzle.” And she did — answering a newspaper ad she sewed herself a dress and hit the stage. But dancing was too tame, so she set her sights on a more daring act that traveled the world. When she took a ship to America, she met her match in Herrmann the Great.They married, and began a partnership in magic. Nothing could stop Addie, not even the passing of her beloved husband. Addie picked up her wand and moved on, dazzling “audiences around the globe.”Bold, jumbo illustrations by Iacopo Bruno complement this book about a woman who never failed to grab the brass ring.* * * * * * * * * * *If you’re afraid of heights you’ll shudder when reading “Crossing Niagara: The Death-Defying Tightrope Adventures of the Great Blondin.” Written and illustrated by Matt Tavares, this book’s a wonder, all the more because it’s a true tale.At the young age of 5, Jean Francois Gravelet could already walk a tightrope. It didn’t take him long to earn a reputation as the greatest tightrope walker ever, adopt the title “The Great Blondin” and face challenges others couldn’t fathom — crossing the expanse above Niagara Falls on a tightrope. What panache!Blondin’s stunts became more daring with each attempt. He walked, he jumped inches above the rope, he toasted audiences gathered to watch, he stood on his head on the rope and walked it blindfolded. He even crossed the falls with a fellow on his back.With lifelike illustrations, and a clever foldout page at center, “Crossing Niagara” is sure to provide an adrenaline rush.* * * * * * * * * * *A handmade, stuffed toy displays incredible courage and loyalty in William Joyce’s new book “Ollie’s Odyssey.” It begins on a sad note — a little boy named Billy is born with a hole in his heart.To cope, his mother makes him a toy, sewed it out of “deliciously comfortable fabric which she had chosen with great care.” And so Ollie is born, a toy with “a simple, hopeful face that gave the impression of friendliness,” and a bell added inside, left over from a doll Billy’s mother cherished when she was a child.Ollie ends up needing as much hope as he can get because he falls on hard times once Billy gets well, his fate sealed because he’s Billy’s favorite toy.The villain in the book, evil King Zozo, who used to be a “happy clown,” and his troupe of “Creeps” hate favorite toys. Zozo sets his plan in action. He’ll have his Creeps snatch Ollie away from Billy.Thus begins Ollie’s tumultuous journey, a riotous and at times scary venture, as Ollie tries repeatedly to return home to the boy he loves so much. Gorgeous illustrations and sepia-toned pages make this beautiful book reminiscent of classic oldies, its endearing theme universal.Youngest Pick: "Anything But Ordinary Addie"Middle Pick: "Crossing Niagara"Oldest Pick: "Ollie's Odyssey"