The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me. Given the synopsis, I expected it to be emotional, but I really didn't expect to connect with these characters in a way that made it thoroughly compelling. I even found myself connecting with 12-year old Norman. In fact, Julietta Henderson made every character relatable in some way even if I didn't really have anything in common with them. This one is a story about family, friendship, loyalty, learning, and determination. It's very well written and engaging - just an all-around impressive debut novel.

If I love a character more than Norman Foreman, I don't know who it would be! Henderson included every element that I look for in a life-changing read; an older person with an interesting backstory, a mom trying her best, a kid who doesn't really fit in, tragic circumstances, and a journey. There is also enough tea and coffee for any reader. I loved this book so much. I loved the characters and the plot. I loved how much I cared about Norman and his family, all of them. I loved how the story went from mom to son in point of view and how we got so much more involved that way. Thank you for this story!

This has definitely made my top reads of 2021 list. Julietta’s writing has a unique rhythm that pulled me in as a reader. It has heart and humour and an eclectic cast of characters. I can be an emotional reader, but It isn’t easy to make me laugh out loud and silently sob all in the same chapter, yet Norman succeeded.

This novel is irreverent and funny and pulls the heartstrings right to the very end. One of the “perks” for me was the relatability to Sadie as a mother – her internal dialogue, while not entirely relevant to me personally, was familiar enough that I wanted to pull her aside and tell her she’s an excellent mother. She wasn’t perfect, but she loves Norman perfectly.

I absolutely recommend it.

Read & reviewed as part of the publisher's blog tour.

The Funny Thing About Norma Foreman, written by Julietta Henderson, is a touching, entertaining, and thought-provoking debut novel.

Norman Foreman was only twelve years old when he lost his best friend and comedic buddy. To him, it only made sense that he continued with their plans to perform at the Edinburge Fringe festival. There's just one problem...Jax was the funny one of the pair, not Norman.

But Norman is determined to keep Jax's spirit alive – and achieve another goal in the process. He's hoping to use the festival to find his father – a man he's never known. Thankfully, his mother, while concerned, is willing to help him.

“Timing is everything. First rule of comedy, Jax says.”

The Funny Thing About Norma Foreman is such a sweet and endearing novel; I'm almost having trouble finding the words to express how it made me feel. It's such a unique novel, all while really bringing this young man and his story to life.

This is a novel full of emotional highs and lows. Which makes sense, given that we're talking about a twelve-year-old boy who has been through so much. He's lost his best friend and never knew his father. One of these things he can't change, but not both. His determination to take some semblance of control in his life is something that I feel we can all understand and even appreciate.

Sadie, Norma's mother, is another treasure to come from this novel. She's self-deprecating and sardonic – the blending of these two traits is so beautifully done. It makes her feel so human and real, and I almost feel like I could reach out and give her a phone call.

I really love what Julietta Henderson did here in The Funny Thing About Norma Foreman and cannot wait to see what sort of idea she comes up with for her next novel.

A single mom, a kid with psoriasis, and an octogenarian go on a road trip - sounds like the beginning of a joke, right? This wonderful debut is no joke! It pulls you in and then grabs hold of your heart.

Norman and Jax are best friends, opposite as night and day. They even have a five-year plan to take their comedy act to the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But then Jax died, and now Norman, at only twelve years old, needs to find a way to navigate life without Jax.

Norman decides to update their five-year plan, or did Jax? Nevertheless, he wants to play the Fringe to honor Jax. Oh, and he wants to find his dad, which according to his mom could be one of four men.

Told from both Norman and his mom, Sadie’s, POVs, this is a story of grief, courage, motherhood, and healing. With the help of the elderly, but sagely, Leonard, Norman, and his mom make the journey from their home to Edinburgh and meet all sorts of interesting people along the way. With each stop and all the new faces, Norman and Sadie are given insight as to what true strength and courage are, in all sorts of adversities.

Henderson writes with a brilliant mix of humor, hope, and compassion. Norman is sure to become a new favorite of yours; sweet and brave; showing the world that the show must go on.

Thank you to @harpercollins for the #gifted copy and invitation to the tour.

Twelve-year-old Norman and his best friend, Jax, have their sights set on performing their comedy duo set at the Edinburgh Fringe when they turn fifteen. The two have been inseperable since they first met, and while they may seem like polar opposites they bring out the best in each other. But then Jax dies suddenly, and Norman and his mom, Sadie, feel lost without his presence in their lives. One night, the two decide to pursue this grand plan for Norman to perform his comedy act in Edinburgh that summer, and they embark on an adventure that leads them to open mics, new friends, and maybe even finding Norman’s father after all these years on their own. *content warnings for child death and suicide*

I really loved how we got chapters from both Sadie and Norman’s point of view, as it really allowed us to explore just how much losing Jax is affecting them. I also don’t know if this was intentional of not, but in Norman’s chapters there are no quotation marks, which, for me, really helped me envision a child telling me a story. Norman is lost without his best friend – Jax was always the one to deliver the punch-lines, the funny guy with perfect timing, the one who drove him out of his comfort zone and sometimes got them both into trouble but would leave with a smile on their faces and a story to tell. Now he wants to honor Jax’s memory, but he’s scared that he’s not good enough, and never will be again without his right-hand man. Sadie has raised Norman on her own since he was born, as a flurry of one-night stands left her unsure of who his father was. She watched him be ostracized because of his introverted nature, and his psoriasis, until one day a loud-mouthed boy decided he wanted Norman as a best friend, and nothing could have made her happier. Now that loud-mouthed boy died too soon, and there’s not much she can do to take away her son’s pain and hurt, even though she would do anything to make him feel better. So she [unwillingly, and sort of by accident] enlists the help of coworker and friend, Leonard, to help fulfill her boy’s new five-year plan, give tribute to Jax, and unravel the mystery behind his father. This novel is a road trip absolutely full of heart and tenderness, sprinkled with humor and emotion. Along the way, Norman finds friends and a way to smile even through losing someone special, and Sadie overcomes her past mistakes and realizes she has given her all to be the best mother for her son. Everyone needs a friend like Leonard – not only a mastermind and wiz with computer graphics, social media, excel sheets, and google maps, but also a great listener and someone who isn’t afraid to point out when you’re wrong. I really enjoyed exploring Sadie’s past with each of the four possible men that could be Norman’s dad, and seeing the carying reactions they have when presented with news of a lost son. I will say, towards the later half of the book, the story started to get a bit wild, and I appreciated its unpredictability (which kept me on my toes), but I found it a bit too much for the type of narrative it had already established. The ending chapter from Norman’s perspective, though, such a great ending, and really captured the true essence of the novel – a tender tale family, friends, love in all its varieties, and learning to live in the present.

In conclusion, this was such a wonderful story that captured my heart from the first chapter. I can't wait to see what others think now that it's released. *Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, MIRA, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

What a debut novel! Such a heartwarming story about friendship, motherhood, and the power of love. It's funny, uplifting, and such a treasure. Fans of Palacio's Wonder and Rachel Joyce's Harold Fry will enjoy this read.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of poignant writing

This is a book which I started at 6am in the morning and didn't stop until I had finished it – it was a good thing I was on leave! I really did just read it from cover to cover – even taking it with me whilst I grabbed some breakfast, and waiting till I had done to get dressed. I say this just to warn you that you will just get so involved that you may forget other responsibilities.

When thinking about how to review this book, I realise just how rich the story is, and how much I know about the people that we meet along the journey to Edinburgh. There are wonderful vignettes of incidents which lend themselves perfectly to explaining what can happen when on a trip. But whilst the journey and arrival is important, it is in the very first few pages that the scene is set to give us cause to be concerned about how anyone on the front cover could suggest that this will be a funny book – and yet it really is, in a rather English understated, raconteur, or even observational comic way!

My absolutely favourite bit was when Norman's mum, Sadie, flicks through Jax's texts to her, him being the cheeky kid that he was, and yet the one who knew that reassuring her that Normie was safe was the right thing to do. But there are many fabulous parts to this clever, funny, and immensely readable book – I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh Norman! So many feels!!!!

We all know what a slippery slope navigating pre-teen life can be. Imagine a young man already treading lightly with the everyday stuff while also playing Minesweeper with the pains of psoriasis and the death of a best friend.

A grieving Norman is doing his best to not worry his mom, Sadie. Sadie is doing her best to keep Norman engaged. A useless feat for both. That is until an old plan is put into action with the help of some very colorful characters.

The old plan? Norman and Jax, his closest mate, together proposed the “five-year plan”, which was to attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After all, the largest arts festival in the world seemed the right setting to introduce this comedic duo.

As with most planned events, things did not go accordingly. Norman slowly begins to shift his grief into setting forth a new plan, this one harder than anything he ever imagined;
1. Look after mum
2. Find Dad
3. Get to the Edinburgh Fringe….and perform…. alone.

Driven by the narrative of both Norman and Sadie, you will experience the inner thoughts of a mother desperate to do all she can to be brave for the sake of her child …..and a son desperate to do that same in his own beautiful way.

A stunning tale by Julietta Henderson about perseverance through the cavalcade of torpedoes life often throws at us.

Note: if this story doesn’t do you in…. the acknowledgment sure will.

Thank you #NetGalley #JuliettaHendersonAuthor and #harlequinbooks for the opportunity to meet and fall in love Norman.

When you're twelve years old and your best friend dies life can be very hard. Norman Foreman loses his best friend Jax suddenly and he is left with a empty hole in his heart. Jax was an amazing kid. He was caring, outspoken, and he helped Norman come out of his shy and quiet shell. They had a five year plan set as a comedic duo. You see, Norman and Jax loved comedy and they made sure to always put on a show. Their dream was to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Even Sadie, Norman's mom, misses Jax. Not only was he an amazing friend to her son, but he made her home lively with his presence, often getting into little schemes. Being a single mother, Sadie lost her dad (whom was also a comedian; not so successful though) a year before she had Norman. Her grief and heartbreak led her to questionable behavior, such as drinking and having one night stands. As a result, she doesn't really know who Norman's father could be. She often feels she's not a great mother, considering she can't do anything to get her son out of his misery. It doesn't help either that her boss is a pain in the butt. After she spills all her woes on her co-worker, whom comes up with a plan to help Norman and Sadie look for his real father.

This book was simply amazing. It's a story about friendship, love, family, and never giving up. The way Julietta brought the characters to life was refreshing and she really takes you on an adventure with all the different characters she brings aboard this road trip. Huge thanks to Mira books, NetGalley, and Harlequin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't believe this was a debut novel!! So pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book!! This book is told in two POV's -- one is Norman, a 12 year old boy who loses his best friend Jax and the other is his mother, Sadie. I thought this book would be depressing, but it is quite the opposite. How does a 12 year old handle grief and how does his mother handle a son who is grieving? This book covers relationships, family, life in its best and worst and ends up happy. I found myself laughing out loud as well as tearing up. I can't wait until her next book!!

This is the story of a young boy named Norman whose dream is to appear on the stage and do a comedy routine with his best friend. When tragedy interrupts his plans, Norman gets the help of his mom and an elderly friend named Leonard to fulfill his dream. An important part of the plot is the fact that Norman does not know who his father is, so with the help of Leonard’s research, he sets out to find his bio dad, a man who doesn’t know he exists. The character studies were the most outstanding part of this book. By the time I completed the book, I felt like I knew all three main characters, especially Norman and his mom Sadie. Their strengths and weaknesses were portrayed honestly and in a humorous way. Norman is learning how to be a solo comedian as they travel together and Sadie is learning to accept herself and all of the mistakes she has made in the past. She is also still dealing with the death of her father, so she is conflicted about finding Norman’s father. There are relationships forming and growing between the three as well as with those they meet along the way. I think my favorite part was Norman’s adventures on a moped and his becoming more independent as the book progressed. This is a coming of age novel as well as a novel that touched my heart and led me to reflect on my own life’s choices.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Heartwarming, sad, funny, and charming, this novel will pull at your heartstrings and have you flipping the pages as you follow 12 year old Norman and his mom Sadie as they set out on their adventures and follow Norman's dreams. Young Norman and his best friend Jax had a dream they planned to fulfill together, but that all changed when young Jax died. Norman sets out to continue fulfilling their dream although he will do it alone, and also intends to find his biological father as well on the journey.

I enjoyed reading about Norman and Sadie's life together and reading about Norman setting out to fulfill his dream of performing at The Fringe. I enjoyed reading the novel from the alternating POV"s of both Sadie and Norman, as we get get a better glimpse into their thoughts and their personalities throughout the novel and it helps add to their character development. They were an interesting parent-child duo that was fun and interesting to read about and you can't help but fall in love with them.

Overall a wonderful book that I recommend you add to your TBR!

I found this to be a very interesting book with a good plot. A 12 year old boy must get past the death of his best friend and fulfilling their five year plan to become comedians helps with this. A single mother does everything to help her son realize his goal and fulfill his wish to find his father. This is complicated by Sadie not knowing who the father is.

4 stars!

What a fascinating and heartfelt book! It was much longer than I expected but near the end, I felt like it wasn’t long enough! The ending chapters felt very rushed and major plot points were brushed over. I wished the author had spread out the ending of the story more and had less filler in the beginning.

I found Sadie to be one of the most relatable and genuine characters I’ve read in a really long time. My heart ached for her. She was doing the best she could to navigate life as single mother, no support system or family, raising a teenager who’d just suffered a traumatic loss.

I quite liked the fact that this book was written as a dual POV. The wildly diverse viewpoints of Norman and Sadie brought more detail to the story. The genuine relationship between the mother and young son was some of my favorite parts of the book. Their connection and dependency on each other was unbreakable, even in a time of unfathomable grief.

Adored the end of the book. Was rooting for Norman the entire time and loved how he finally found his footing right before The Fringe.

The side characters absolutely made this book. From the eccentric old man, to the burley poet, to the motor-scootering potential DNA donator. So many unique personalities that each brought something valuable to the story. And when they all came together for one common goal, my heart sang. Norman was surrounded by so many people who cared about him and wanted to see him thrive. They may not have been family by blood but many of them turned out to be family by choice.

One thing I thoroughly enjoy about books written in the setting of a foreign country is all of the local lingo that authors include. This book had so many witty come backs and hilarious one liners that wouldn’t have come across nearly as humorous to me, if it’d been set in the US. I also had the most fun trying to translate what James and his crew were saying because of their Irish slang. The author had me chuckling throughout the entire read. Especially with Jax’s smart mouth.

The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is a sweet story about a 12-year-old dealing with the death of his best friend who decides to follow their mutual dream of competing in a comedy festival. Told with humour and compassion, this is a story about facing your fears, living with grief, and finding your way.

But this book falls into the 'good but not quite wow' category for me. If I stand back, I can recognize and applaud its great intentions. It has an interesting premise and a rag tag group of characters, but when I get into the actual telling of the story, I struggled to connect with it. The plot dragged a lot for me with too much repetition between the different POVs and I couldn't help feeling like it was trying too hard to be quirky and funny. It felt awkwardly forced.

This book has some delightful gems, and my sweet takeaways are Norman's positive outlook, his love for his best friend Jax and his perseverance. This boyhood friendship with Jax and Norman's on-going grief was compassionately portrayed, poignantly told, and was refreshing to witness.

This was a good read but a much slower paced story than I expected. I appreciated how the themes were introduced but felt that the slower pace detracted from my overall enjoyment. I think many readers will enjoy this charming debut with a main character whose gumption and positive outlook will make him quite memorable.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for my advanced copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

At first I didn't really like this book. I struggled to connect to the characters. But I kept going on to see what was funny about Norman Foreman. And then the book started to grow on me. It became more like an adventure as they set on a journey to find Norman's father, and also to get a spot on a comedy show. They end up meeting so many interesting creatures on their way to the festival. And seeing pretty interesting things. By the middle of the book I found myself rooting for Norman and hoping he could get a happy (or funny) ending. I like how the book is told in both Norman and his mother's perspective, with some chapters told by him, and some others by his mother. That gives a different perspective - the 12 year old still trying to figure out his life type of perspective, and the 32 year old responsible adult trying to figure out her son's life type of perspective. In the end, they both have their insecurities, and the journey to find Norman's father helps settle a lot of doubts for both of them. It's a funny book, but also very emotional.

Norman and Jax are best friends and have their own five year plan. They love comedy and have their own stand up skit. It’s their dream to perform at the Fringe but unfortunately like all dreams they don’t all come true.
Norman decides he wants to find his biological father and fulfill his and Jax’s dream.
We meet some interesting characters and Norman and his Mother have several obstacles to face.
Parts of the book were really good, it seems to drag a bit in the middle. It was a little different from what I normally read
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I found this book to be light, funny and touching. At the heart of the story is a mother/son relationship that is very sweet. It is told in alternating voices between the the two, which I enjoyed. The cast of minor characters is very diverse and I found myself liking almost all of them.

A few things kept me from giving this book a higher rating. It started out a little slow and at times it felt repetitive. Toward the end there was a storyline that involves a wild caper that I felt was a bit out of place and dragged on too long.

But, overall I enjoyed the author's exploration of loss, friendship, self discovery and resilience. Norman is a character I will not likely forget any time soon.

While being 11 is trying at times for everyone, Norman Foreman seems to have it harder than most. Growing up in a single-parent household in the far southwest of England, he's never known his father. A quiet and reserved boy, he also unfortunately suffers from a severe case of psoriasis which gets worse in times of stress (and also isn't helped by his love of cheesy toast). The only bright spot in his life is his best friend Jax. Jax is Norman's complete opposite: loud, attention-seeking, and confident. The two boys are united by their love of comedy and they make the perfect duo: the natural clown and the straight man. They set out a 5 year plan to perform a comedy routine at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by the time they are 15. While they have yet to actually perform in front of an audience, they spend all their time writing jokes, studying famous comedians, and planning their future comedy careers. This all comes to an abrupt and shocking end when Jax suddenly dies.

Norman, naturally, is completely devastated by the death of his close and really only friend. His mother, Sadie, is at a loss as to how to comfort him. Sadie has been somewhat adrift in life since becoming an orphan at the age of 19. With no family, she set out on a reckless and self-destructive path that led her to having a son (with no idea who his father could be), and also dropping out of college with no qualifications. She's worked for the past 6 years at a car lot, taking calls and commiserating with her co-worker Leonard about their boorish boss, Dennis. Leonard is over 80 and responds to Dennis's inappropriate and demeaning insults with quiet acts of rebellion that Sadie sees and appreciates.
With the death of his best friend, Norman's 5 Year Plan can no longer be completed. Sadie notices that he has amended the poster in his bed with a new plan, which includes finding his father and performing as a solo act at the Fringe Festival. Sadie, feeling helpless in the face of her son's grief, decides to do what she can to help him fulfil his new plan. She even confides in octogenarian Leonard, and he enthusiastically decides to become her helper. So the three set out on a road trip to find the four possible candidates for Norman's father while at the same time getting him some "open mike" experience on their way to Edinburgh. Because by the time they get there word will have spread about Little Big Man (Norman's comedy persona) and it will be easy to get a slot to perform at the festival . . . won't it?

Norman is a very likeable and eager-to-please boy who is also sensitive to the feelings of others. His mother, Sadie, is somewhat scattered and disorganized, so it's lucky that the elderly, but encouraging Leonard agrees to go along on the trip and arrange the details. I enjoyed the story, but it seemed to lose steam somewhat about 2/3 of the way through when Norman unexpectedly embarks on a caper with a new character. I thought that part of the story deviated from the previous action and dragged on a bit too long. Still, it was nice to follow Norman's adventures and to see him overcome the loss of his friend and become a more confident individual.