Normal: One Kid's Extraordinary Journey

Praised by R.J. Palacio as "wondrous"--this moving memoir follows a teenage boy with TC syndrome and his exceptional family from diagnosis at birth to now.

"This touching memoir is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the real-world experiences of a child with craniofacial differences and his extraordinary family. It's also more than that. It's a story about the love between a mother and a son, a child and his family, and the breadth of friends, helpers, and doctors that step in when the unexpected happens. It's a story that will make young readers reevaluate the word 'normal'--not only as it applies to others, but to themselves. Any book that can do that is pretty wondrous, as far as I'm concerned." --R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder

In this uplifting and humorous memoir brimming with black-and-white comic illustrations, Nathaniel and his mother, Magda, tell the story of his growing up with the same craniofacial syndrome as the boy from Wonder--from facing sixty-seven surgeries before the age of fifteen, to making friends, moving across the country, and persevering through hardships. How they tackle extraordinary circumstances with love and resilience is a true testament to Nathaniel and Magda's extraordinary family, and to families everywhere who quietly but courageously persist.


Publisher: Clarion Books
Published: 01/14/2020
Pages: 336
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.80w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781328631831
Age: Young Adult

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 6
Point Value: 9
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 508070 / Normal: One Kid's Extraordinary Journey (Young Readers' Edition)


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2019
Booklist 11/01/2019 pg. 40
Publishers Weekly 11/18/2019
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 01/01/2020
School Library Journal 01/01/2020 pg. 99

About the Author
MAGDALENA and NATHANIEL NEWMAN live in Seattle, Washington, together with the rest of the family--dad, brother, and four dogs.