 | Normal : one kid's extraordinary journey Author: Newman, Magdalena M. | |
| Price: $8.19 | ||
Summary:
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.
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Newman, Nathaniel |
| Liftin, Hilary |
| Illustrator: | Swaab, Neil |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 6.00 Points: 9.0 Quiz: 508070 |
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 11/01/2019 In her break-out novel, Wonder (2012), R. J. Palacio helped readers understand Treacher Collins syndrome through the character of Auggie and created a movement of kindness towards individuals with disabilities. But before Auggie existed, real-life Nathaniel Newman was born with a severe case of Treacher Collins, requiring a tracheotomy to breathe, hearing aids, and more than 60 surgeries before turning 16. In this frank yet always hopeful memoir, illustrated with expressive black-line drawings, teenaged Nathaniel and his mom alternate perspectives on life with this syndrome. Their conversational narratives recount Nathaniel’s baby and childhood milestones, the ups and downs of his surgeries, his transition to school, and the range of strangers’ reactions, from rudely staring to making fast friends. At its heart, as the title suggests, is what it means to be “normal.” Wonder fans will also welcome such connections as Nathaniel’s working relationship with Palacio and how his image inspired the physical appearance of the movie version of Auggie. Nathaniel’s story will inspire all children to celebrate their differences. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 01/01/2020 Gr 5 Up—Nathaniel Newman went swimming "normally" for the first time when he was 13 years old. He could put his head under the water and not worry about water flooding his trach (a breathing tube). Nathaniel was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome and needed a tracheostomy to breathe. When he was 12, he decided to undergo a yearlong process (a massive surgery and countless additional procedures, including wearing a cage around his head for six months) to enable him to breathe without a tube. The surgery was successful. Treacher Collins is the syndrome that the fictional character Auggie has in R.J. Palacio's Wonder, and Nathaniel's photo, hanging on the wall at the Center for Craniofacial Care at NYU Langone Hospital, was the author's inspiration for the character. Nathaniel and his family spent time on the set for the movie adaptation of Wonder and provided insight for the actors. Nathaniel and his mother have written a powerful and honest memoir together; chapters are narrated by both of them in alternating sections. Nathaniel describes his multiple surgeries, relays his love of superheroes, and captures his very typical relationship with his younger brother while his mother shares the realities of parenting a child with very complex medical needs. VERDICT Recommended for middle school libraries. Nathaniel and his mother tell a compelling story, but when coupled with additional information about the much-beloved book Wonder (and the movie), this title is sure to fly off the shelves.—Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
