The Normal Kid (review)

"That's your world, and it's so right and so normal you never even think about it. Then it falls apart." That's what happened to Sylvan last year, in fourth grade, when his parents split and his older brother went to live with his dad. It's now happening to his new classmate Charity, who is back in an America she barely remembers after her family abruptly left the missionary life and the Kenyan home she loved. Sylvan's not sure he wants to jeopardize his status as a "normal kid" to befriend Charity, and he's even more uncertain about partnering with weird Brian, who's uncomfortable with social contact and loud noises, on a big class project. There are too many plot threads here, and contrivance (especially the kids' misunderstanding of the principal's class visit) sours several elements. Holmes is a capable and affecting stylist, though, and the narration, alternating between Sylvan and Charity, brings Charity's story in particular to vivid life: she's a third-culture kid who was most at home in Kenya and her pastor father's church, but her dad's defensive approach to his congregation led to his failure, loss of faith, and the family's relocation. Readers may enjoy the dynamics of the school story, and they'll appreciate the message that even difficult transitions are survivable.