Normal: A Mother and Her Beautiful Son — An Inspiring Family Memoir About Strength and Facing Complex Challenges

Praised by R.J. Palacio as “wondrous”—this moving memoir follows a teenage boy with TC syndrome and his exceptional family from diagnosis at birth to now.

“This touching memoir is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the real-world experiences of a child with craniofacial differences and his extraordinary family. It’s also more than that. It’s a story about the love between a mother and a son, a child and his family, and the breadth of friends, helpers, and doctors that step in when the unexpected happens. It’s a story that will make young readers reevaluate the word ‘normal’—not only as it applies to others, but to themselves. Any book that can do that is pretty wondrous, as far as I’m concerned.” —R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder

In this uplifting and humorous memoir brimming with black-and-white comic illustrations, Nathaniel and his mother, Magda, tell the story of his growing up with the same craniofacial syndrome as the boy from Wonder—from facing sixty-seven surgeries before the age of fifteen, to making friends, moving across the country, and persevering through hardships. How they tackle extraordinary circumstances with love and resilience is a true testament to Nathaniel and Magda’s extraordinary family, and to families everywhere who quietly but courageously persist.
 

MAGDALENA NEWMAN lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and two sons.
 

Magdalena and Nathaniel Newman live in Seattle, Washington, together with the rest of the family—dad, brother, and 4 dogs.