Normal

In alternating narratives, mother and son team Magdelena and Nathaniel, who is 16, tell the story of Nathaniel’s birth and young life with Treacher Collins syndrome. Magdelena describes the ways their lives have changed as awareness of Treacher Collins grew following the publication of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder; Nathaniel also notes that, while he’s glad for the growing attention and representation of Treacher Collins, his experiences are entirely his own. Educational and enlightening information about Nathaniel’s craniofacial differences (“My nose didn’t connect to my airway”), a planned year and a half of surgeries to give Nathaniel more autonomy, and milestones, such as coming home from the hospital more than a month after his birth, add structure to the narrative. But it’s the honest—sometimes joyful, sometimes painful, and occasionally unflattering—memories that prove most compelling. As Nathaniel and Magdelena share their family’s story, illustrating that “normal” is all about perspective, they demonstrate the ways in which the Newmans are imperfect individuals for whom Treacher Collins is one aspect of identity. Line drawings by Swaab (the Secrets to Ruling School series) depict significant passages, such as Nathaniel’s G-tube becoming dislodged, in accessible cartoons that add levity to the narrative. Also available: Normal: A Mother and Her Beautiful Son, for adults. Ages 10–up. (Jan.)