Waiting for Normal

Praise

★ “A heroine with spunk and spirit offers an inspiring lesson in perseverance and hope. First-rate.” — Kirkus Reviews

★ “A story centered around loss, heartbreak, abandonment, and new beginnings.” — School Library Journal

★“This book persuades that good people and delightful possibilities are all around, even in the most unpromising circumstances.” — KLIATT

★ “[Leslie] Connor treats the subject of child neglect with honesty and grace in this poignant story. Characters as persuasively optimistic as Addie are rare, and readers will gravitate to her.” — Publishers Weekly

“Connor convincingly portray’s Addie’s beyond-her-years resourcefulness and the opposing feelings that drive her to protect the life she has while longing to be a permanent part of the ‘normal’ home her sisters occupy with her stepfather.” — The Horn Book

Awards and Accolades

• New York Public Library’s “One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing”

• School Library Journal Best Book

• ALA Notable Children’s Book

• ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

• The Schneider Family Book Award

• Texas Lone Star Reading List

• Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice

• 2009 Connecticut Book Award

About

This poignant and joyful novel is filled with meaningful moments and emotional resonance. Addie is waiting for normal. But Addie's mother has an all-or-nothing approach to life: a food fiesta or an empty pantry, her way or no way.

Addie’s mother is bipolar, and she often neglects Addie. All-or-nothing never adds up to normal, and it can't bring Addie home, where she wants to be with her half-sisters and her stepfather. But Addie never stops hoping that one day, maybe, she'll find normal.

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