Thursday, May 31, 2012

SERIOUSLY, NORMAN! by Chris Rashka

Rashka, Chris. Seriously, Norman! Scholastic, 2011. ISBN-13: 9780545298773. $13.49.


Special Feature: Review by an elementary school student.


Seriously, Norman! is a hilarious, inspiring, mind-blowing, mysterious book. I was at Borders trying to figure out which book I would read, but none of them stood out. Finally a person that knows my taste for books suggested Seriously, Norman! to me. Once I read the prologue, I was amazed! So I went to the counter to check it out.

Seriously, Norman! is a story about a 12-year-old boy named Norman Normann, who can’t pass a test to go to a good school. Finally his mom, Norma Normann, and his lazy dad, Orman Normann, hire a tutor, Balthazar Birdsong. Little does Norman know that an assignment from Mr. B will open up a new world to him. Mr. B’s assignment to Norman is to read the dictionary, from A-Z. Reading the dictionary increases Norman’s vocabulary. It also gives him clues necessary to find out why his father’s last business trip took longer than expected.

I relate to Norman because I struggle in math, while Norman struggles in various subjects. Additionally, as in life, the conflicts and problems presented in the story make it suspenseful. It also makes me feel the urge to laugh, be happy, and be sad at the same time. All of these emotions and events are ingredients for a fantastic story.

My favorite part of the book is when Norman plays with his action figure, Alfred the Great. He would have Alfred jump through spaces of time and go on adventures in new worlds. I connect to the book because I want to get good grades so that I can go to a good school. I will always remember this book because Norman’s imagination is a lot like mine. Through Norman’s adventurous imagination, I learned new words and their meanings. I highly recommend this awesome book to kids of all ages with big imaginations.


Review by Tatyanna Shillinger, 5th grade

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