The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman

By: Julietta Henderson

Narrated by: Katherine Parkinson

"Charming, warm and uplifting...there is so much to love about this book."—Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This is How It Always Is

A triumphant and touching debut about the unlikeliest superstar you’ll ever meet.

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 funny and tender 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.

Just wonderful

I laughed and I cried. Laughed out loud, Cried into my swimming goggles - I listen while swimming laps. One of my absolute favourite listens.

I'd go hear Norman in any comedy club

This is the feel-good book of the decade! Norman is a delight, Sadie has the fear of every mother and they're both "adopted" by a delightful elderly man who becomes their fairy-god father. And, Katherine Parkinson is a perfect narrator! Oh, and Jax will really never be gone.

Great Read!

Such a sweet story about learning to be brave💜 I really enjoyed it! Norman is awesome 🤩

All these 5 star reviews!!

All those 5 star reviews are what made me go for this title.
What I can tell you about this book is that if you decide to get it, you can listen to the first hour or so and if you like the humor a lot, then hen you can plan on enjoying the rest of the story a lot too. I had a hard time with the particular humor making up for the sadness that the story evoked. Until the last hour and a half, the humor never made up for the sadness so the feel good I was looking for when I decided to believe all those 5 star reviews, just wasn’t there. The last bit all redeemed it but I just wanted to let people know that it is quite sad in spite of how all those 5 stars make it out to be.

Norman

I got this book as a Christmas gift. It is not. A book I would have picked, but it is marvelous. I felt so close to all the characters. Thank you, Emily, for the gift.