The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman

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His story had me in tears, both of laughter and sorrow, as he bravely battles against the odds to achieve his dream. 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. When she spills all her woes to Leonard, an elderly pensioner who works part time with her, he comes up with a plan to help Norman and so the three of them set off on a road trip from their home in Penzance to Edinburgh.

Norman, plagued by psoriasis, is simply fantastic as he’s brave, bold as well as funny and Leonard is a true friend.Like many Australians, her love affair with Europe began when she came to London on a working holiday and stayed for more than a decade. My favourite has to have been Big Al, who they meet at their first stop, he was a definite diamond in the rough. When Norman meets Jax, a boy who shares his love of comedy, and has big plans for their joint futures, his life seem perfect, but tragedy strikes, and so Norman’s Mum comes up with an idea to save her little boy from the awful depression he’s sunk into. One aspect of the ending was glossed over and rushed which I felt was a shame, but still this is a rollicking, feel good book that I certainly recommend. Sadie's workmate Leonard, an elderly gentleman, offers to help her with both of these goals, and so starts a wonderful and funny, though at times sad, journey for all three of them to achieve what seems like two unachievable goals.

So with the help from her 80(something) work colleague, Leonard, the trio set out on a road trip heading north to Edinburgh, stopping along the way at the places where the possible men who could be Norman’s dad are located. There's such a lovely, buoyant innocence to Norman and his quest—a coming-of-age that tickles and moves in equal measure. 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. There’s underlying sadness for each of the characters that temper the story but overall it’s about facing your fears and moving forward. Norman is a 12-year-old boy who has a five-year plan with his best friend Jax, to do their comedy routine at the Edinburgh Fringe.Norman, on the other hand, has the most miserable case of persistent psoriasis, which underlies much of the story. He has a wicked sense of humour and is not afraid to show his boss the ‘birdie’ when he is being ageist.