Synopsis
Yes, there really is a Normal, Illinois. Charles Harrisong should know; he was born there. But life is difficult for Charles because his family isn't normal at all. They're poor, for one thing. They stand out, which is the worst thing. After an ugly incident at school, Charles and family leave Normal and begin an adventure that takes them to a houseboat that just might be their new home. And Charles begins a personal journey within his own heart; one that will ultimately deliver him both from and to himself.
Anita Beaman - VOYA
All is not normal in Normal, Illinois, especially in the home of Charles Harrisong, this novel's eleven-year-old, nervous, neurotic narrator. Charles-aka Charlie, Chumsley, or Chums-worries constantly about the abnormal state of his large, loving family. They are all embarrassing, and Charles wishes more than anything to someday remove them from the top of his "Most Embarrassing Things in [His] Life" list. It does not seem likely to happen, however, when his eccentric artist sister, Clara, decides to run for president of her seventh grade class, hoping to get elected on a platform of "positive thinking." The disastrous results of the election are not only embarrassing but also devastating for Charles and his family, forcing them to leave Normal and normal behind for good. Although the story and message are appealing and appropriate, this novel might have trouble finding its audience. The tone of the book seems more adult, and young readers who do not share Charles's experiences might have trouble understanding his sophistication and his obsessions. Most characters are appealing, especially the quirky but confident Clara, and the new beginning that the ending offers has promise, but Charles's neuroses sometimes become annoying, and his voice could turn away many young readers. The book's frequent references to To Kill a Mockingbird will escape many young readers, and the Harrisongs extreme reaction to Clara's election results stretches credulity. Their excessive but strange solution to their daughter's embarrassment and their children's trusting acceptance and adaptability, however, make the Harrisongs more endearing as a family and helps Charles realize that normal really is not asimportant as it seemed. VOYA CODES: 3Q 2P M J (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2005, Scholastic, 240p., Ages 11 to 15.