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Critics' Opinion:
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First Published:
Apr 2021, 416 pages
Paperback:
Mar 2022, 416 pages
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Julietta Henderson's delightfully charming, tender and uplifting debut takes us on a road trip with a mother and son who will live in the reader's heart for a long time to come, and teaches us that--no matter the odds--we must always reach for the stars.
Twelve-year-old Norman Foreman and his best friend, Jax, are a legendary comedic duo in waiting, with a plan to take their act all the way to the Edinburgh Fringe. But when Jax dies, Norman decides the only fitting tribute is to perform at the festival himself. The problem is, Norman's not the funny one. Jax was.
There's also another, far more colossal objective on Norman's new plan that his single mom, Sadie, wasn't ready for: he wants to find the father he's never known. Determined to put a smile back on her boy's face, Sadie resolves to face up to her own messy past, get Norman to the Fringe and help track down a man whose identity is a mystery, even to her.
Julietta Henderson's delightfully charming, tender and uplifting debut takes us on a road trip with a mother and son who will live in the reader's heart for a long time to come, and teaches us that—no matter the odds—we must always reach for the stars.
1
Sadie
WHEN I WAS BORN, my insides lay outside my body for twenty-one days. Which is unexpected, but not nearly as unusual as you might think. For every 3,999 other babies that come out with everything tucked in neatly and sealed away exactly where it should be, there's one like me. Nobody really knows why. Luck of the draw, my father used to say.
For those three weeks, while I lay spread-eagled in an incubator like a Nando's special, a crowd of doctors gathered every morning to discuss their cleverness and, as my organs shrank to their correct size, bit by bit they gently posted a little more of the me-parts that had made a break for it back inside.
Well, that's the way my mother told it anyway. The way my father told it, the doctors gathered around the incubator every morning to discuss whether they'd be having my large intestine or my liver for their lunch, and whether it'd be with chips or salad. And that right there might tell you almost everything you need to know about my parents.
...
The writer brings the reader along on Norman and his mother Sadie's journey—both of them are grappling with grief, Norman's from the present and Sadie's from the past. Over the course of the book, the two learn that grief need not define their lives; the message is that joy can always be found, even following the depths of sorrow (Hilary D). Although there is pathos and sadness surrounding the loss of Norman's best friend and comedy partner, Jax, there is love and growth and friendship and stamina and determination (Ginny H)...continued
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(Reviewed by BookBrowse First Impression Reviewers).
Beth Morrey, bestselling author of The Love Story of Missy Carmichael
What a charming, funny and cheering read. There's such a lovely, buoyant innocence to Norman and his quest—a coming-of-age that tickles and moves in equal measure. The writing is sharp but tender and in the same way that Marcus in About a Boy strengthens his house of cards, Norman builds the eccentric, loving network he deserves. Brianna Wolfson, author of That Summer in Maine
To read The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is to befriend three underdogs and join in on their zigging and zagging adventure. I wanted to get into the car with Norman, Sadie, and Leonard. This trio will melt your heart, lift your spirit, and make you want call your nearest and dearest to tell them how much you love them. Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This is How It Always Is
The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is funny. It is charming, warm, and uplifting as well. But Julietta Henderson's quirky, lovable characters also offer profound meditations on family, friendship, grief, disability, illness, and aging, all told with heart, humor, and wisdom. There is so much to love about this book. Ruth Jones, bestselling author of Never Greener and co-creator of Gavin and Stacey
One of those gorgeous books that completely lifts your spirits and restores your faith in humanity. An utterly lovely tale. Sarah Haywood, New York Times bestselling author of The Cactus
Norman Foreman will capture your heart, just as he does with everyone he meets on his quirky road-trip from heart-rending loss to comedy heaven. Norman's story had me in tears, both of laughter and sorrow, as he bravely battles against the odds to achieve his dream. His companions on his journey, and the wonderful characters he encounters along the way, have all suffered their own different losses, but, like Norman, have refused to let those challenges extinguish their optimism and love of life. The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is a book full of hope, humour and kindness, with one of the most endearing central characters I've met in a long time. An utter delight!
In Julietta Henderson's The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman, the title character is a 12-year-old boy who wants to perform his stand-up comedy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Also known as "the Edinburgh Fringe" or simply "the Fringe," this event started out as an unofficial offshoot of the Edinburgh International Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. It soon became a festival in its own right and is now the largest arts festival in the world.
When the Edinburgh International Festival of Music and Drama began in 1947, it stirred up controversy due to its substantial spending on fine arts during a period of economic strife. Britain was still struggling after World War II, and many thought the festival was out of touch with the times. ...
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