cover image Perfectly Norman

Perfectly Norman

Tom Percival. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-68119-785-2

When “perfectly normal” Norman grows a pair of brilliant multicolored wings, he does what anyone would do: he tries them out and discovers he loves flying. But he becomes self-conscious of his difference and decides he must keep his wings hidden beneath a heavy coat. The hot, uncomfortable jacket immediately begins to make Norman miserable, keeping him from swimming and playing his favorite games. Finally, it dawns on Norman that it’s the coat that is making him unhappy, not the wings. When his parents (an interracial couple) suggest he take it off, he decides to embrace his extraordinary wings. Percival’s message is emphasized through the canny use of color as a storytelling mechanism: Norman’s world is in greyscale, and, aside from his yellow coat (which can’t fully hide the glow of his uniqueness), Norman also appears in black and white. As the wings come out, Norman and everything he’s near turns technicolor. The story could have ended with Norman’s self-acceptance, but Norman goes on to inspire other children to get rid of their own coats, and, in one glorious colorful spread, they join him in flight. Ages 3–6. [em]Agent: Elinor Cooper, Diamond Kahn and Woods. (May) [/em]