This is a beautiful story that made me want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Norman and Jax are best friends. They have been completely inseparable since they met at the age of 6. They think of themselves as a comedy duo and at the age of ten, they come up with a Five Year Plan which ends with them performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and becoming rich and famous.

When Jax dies just before his twelfth birthday, everything changes. Jax was always the outgoing, boisterous one while Norman is more reserved. Following Jax's death, Norman decides to rewrite their plan; Do Edinburgh Fringe, Look after mum, Find dad.

The chapters alternate between Norman and mum Sadie's points of view. Sadie has been a single mum for all of Norman's life. Her motherly and unconditional love for Norman is beautiful. He is everything to her and she will do anything to make him happy, so she agrees to help him find his dad on the way to the Fringe. Leonard, an elderly man she works with, agrees to help her whittle down the potential dads and do the driving up to Edinburgh from Penzance, with a few stops along the way.

Henderson writes beautifully and it is an easy read. Heartbreaking but also hilarious. The character developments of both Norman and Sadie are wonderful to read.

An absolutely enchanting delight of a book!!
The story of friendships, the power of love and killing family - whether biological or not!
This book made me smile every time I picked it up- which wasn’t often as I simply couldn’t put it down!!
All the characters were endearing, and you can hardly not fall in love with each and every one of them.
A truly unique adventure - read this and enjoy thoroughly
Looking forward to your next book already Julietta Henderson.

Having seen early reviews for this book, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review it myself. I just wish I had been able to is down and read the book in a day, rather than over three due to work and family commitments – I didn’t want to put it down. Norman is an unusual name for a young boy – my great Uncle Norman would have been about 92 now.

The story isn’t just about Norman, but also about a superb supporting set of characters, from his mum Sadie, his recently deceased best friend Jax, the cleaner at Sadie’s work, Leonard and the people they meet on their journey.

Norman and Sadie take turns to tell their stories including the happy days with Jax and how they dealt with his death. Sadie has made a friend at work, Leonard, who helps her cope with working for a misogynistic car dealing boss, and also to help Norman tackle his newly revised plan.

There are heartbreaking moments, including the death of Jax and also Sadie’s dad. However this book is also full of humour, as Norman meets his potential fathers (if it is good enough for Donna in Mamma Mia and it works here too), hones his comedy routines and tries out new accommodation (loved the Lenny Henry mentions). This is a non spoiler review so I can’t want give anything more away about the comedy moments without giving clues to the story.

Sadie is trying to do her best for Norman, and we find out how what happened in her past has led to this moment in time. We also find out more about Leonard, who I found myself wishing had been allowed a chapter or two of his own.

This is an emotional book, as you find yourself hoping for the best for Norman and Sadie. This is a book I will be reading again, and will be recommending far and wide. I was left uplifted by the story but bereft at leaving Norman, Sadie and Leonard behind. I look forward to reading more by Julietta Henderson in the future.

12-year-old Norman doesn't have a lot going for him. Bullied at school, in constant pain and disfigured by psoriasis and with no family except his single mum, his life is changed by his friendship with the lively and irreverant Jax, with whom he forms a comedy duo with ambitions to one day appear at the Edinburgh Fringe. When Jax tragically dies, he is plunged in despair, until he decides he will go to the Fringe this year, and appear by himself, as a tribute to Jax, and along the way he will try to find his father. He is accompanied by his mum Sadie, who has always felt herself a failure as a mother and who doesn't know who fathered her son, and their unlikely new ally, the 80-year-old man who cleans Sadie's place of work. Can they possibly succeed, especially as Norman was only ever the straight man in the duo? This is a lovely, feelgood story about determination, following your dreams and overcoming huge obstacles. There are some heartbreaking moments, not just about Norman but about Sadie's tragic past, her mother dying when she was young and her life with her father, a failing comedian whose death caused her to go off the rails and stay there until now. They meet characters along the way with their own stories, and forge attachments that will offer new hope for the future- each is a little cameo in its own right. It is also often very funny. You will not easily forget Norman Foreman.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me this advanced reader’s copy in return for a fair, frank, and honest review.

What can I say about this book that would express how beautiful story it is? I have not come across such a book since reading A Man Called Ove. It is both heartwarming and comedic, heartbreaking and hopeful. There is so much dichotomy between all the characters that Norman meets on his journey and how each one adds something more to him. I do not want to spoil this book for anyone so leave my review at this, brief but highly recommended. This was a warm and fuzzy read for me.

I wasn't expecting much from this book but found it to be a lovely heartwarming story. It's the type of story you can imaging someone telling there grandchildren. The characters are great and the story is unique.

I've don't think I've read a book where the main character loses their best friend so young and at the start of the book. There was some brilliant descriptions of people's grief and feelings as well as looking at the struggles of the older generation throughout as well.

All characters were likeable and it was a feel good story. Enjoyed the read.

The world of comedy provides a potentially fascinating backdrop to this novel. Personally,I did not really enjoy it but it should be of interest to anyone obsessed with world craft of comedy.

Julietta Henderson has written a cracking, side-splitting, touching début. Twelve-year-old Norman Foreman and his best friend Jax Fenton have a plan - they are going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when they are fifteen with their comedy act. When Jax dies before they both turn twelve, Norman decides that paying tribute to Jax just can’t wait.

This was a moving story that was equal parts hilariously funny and sad. Told from the perspectives of Norman and his thirty-two-year-old mum, Sadie gave the book great dimension, and Sadie had her own reasons for making the trip to Edinburgh. On their journey from their home in Penzance Leonard, an elderly pensioner who works part-time with her travels along with them after he comes up with a plan to help Norman.

The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman drew me into the uplifting, creative plot and it soon became very difficult to put down. A beautifully written sweet and tender tale of friendship, love, family and learning to live for the moment, and a 2021 favourite.

I read The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman in staves with other Pigeonholers as part of a group. A special thank you to Bantam Press, Julietta Henderson, NetGalley and The Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Twelve-year-old Norman Foreman had never had any friends – until bad boy Jax came along. Then they were so close that in Norman’s eyes, the best thing about having a best friend was Jax. Norman and Jax were a comedy duo in preparation for the big time. Their plan was for their appearance in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in five years’ time and they worked toward it every day. In between going to school and having the best fun.

But when Jax suddenly died, Norman was bereft. He was desolate and his mum Sadie did all she could to help Norman, although she was grieving herself. When she saw Norman staring at the five year plan the two boys had laid out (slightly altered after Jax died), she found herself promising Norman, she would get him to the Festival, as well as try to find his father for him. And with the help of the elderly Leonard, cleaner at the place Sadie worked, they proceeded to do just that.

The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is a delightful debut novel by Aussie author Julietta Henderson which was lots of fun; filled with laughter and tears, hope and gravitas, Norman and his psoriasis would find the way. Along with Norman, Sadie and Leonard were beautifully crafted characters. I feel Ms Henderson will be an author to watch. Recommended. (and thanks to GR friend Carolyn for her recommendation)

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Norman Foreman and his friend Jax are going to be comedy legends, no doubt about it. They even have a five year plan, including performIing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when they are fifteen. Until then, the boys are happy with comedy dvd and cheese on toast marathons with Sadie, Norman's mum. But suddenly Jax dies and all the laughter has gone from Norman's life. How can Sadie help Norman through his grief? The answer lies in a road trip across the country with their new friend Leonard to see if she can solve the mystery of who Norman's dad is and fufill his comedy ambitions in one go.

Oh this book is heartwarming and brilliant. A story that features a road trip, a whistle stop tour of old flings, comedy and cheese on toast - what's not to love about that? It was great to get a couple of different perspectives too with chapters written with both Norman and Sadie's narratives.

Favourite moment: Leonard the Legend - every part with him in it. Everybody needs a Leonard in their life.

It's true, the opening chapters where we see Jax's funeral and Norman and Sadie's grief are heartwrenching. It's hard to imagine this turning into a funny book but buckle up because next up is the road trip around the country with an octogenerian wannabe racing driver. On route, Norman practices his comedy routines with equal parts hilarity and cringe for the reader. Sadie gets reaquainted with past flings to work out (at Norman's request) which is his father and those encounters are comedy gold too.. However, I also I enjoyed how the deeper messages ofthe book such as dealing with grief, finding your nice and your place in the world were dealt with.

In the middle of the book, the pace drops a little and I was ready for Norman and his road trip buddies to get to their destination - it was the reader equivilant of shouting from the back seat "are we there yet!?". Nevertheless, once they reach Edinburgh, the book is very enteraining and moving right until the end.

I'd recommend this book for those readers who enjoy books that make them laugh out loud and then hit you right in the feels. I'm interested to see what the author writes next.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, Norman Foreman! What a character, what a story! If you’re looking for a book that defines the genre ‘uplit’, then look no further. This has all the feels. In spades. Heck, in hearts, diamonds and clubs, to boot.

Norman is 12 years-old when his best friend and comedy partner Jax dies, scuppering their ‘Five-Year Plan’ to do a stand-up show at the Edinburgh Fringe by the time they’re fifteen. To help Norman come to terms with his loss, and as a tribute to Jax, single mum Sadie promises to get Norman a slot at this year’s Fringe, which takes place in just a few weeks time.

Cue a highly entertaining road trip from Penzance to Edinburgh, in a classic 1971 Austin Maxi, driven by octogenarian army veteran Leonard. With stop offs in Barnstable, Swansea and Bournemouth to try and track down Norman’s unknown father (another of Sadie’s rash promises).

I know. You couldn’t make it up if you tried.

The whole story is a delight. It’s funny, touching, and at times heartbreakingly sad. But, it is entertainment pure from start to finish. And it’s not just Norman you want to hug, but Sadie and Leonard too. As characters — both individually and in the way they relate to each other — they are utterly, gloriously convincing. An odder trio you’re unlikely to find, but it is exactly this that makes them so wonderful.

And as for the prose, well, what can I say? Henderson’s use of first person narrative is sublime. Alternating between Sadie and Norman, the two voices are as distinct and unique as chalk and cheese, drawing you deep into each character’s innermost thoughts and feelings. This is a tough ask at the best of times, but for a debut author? I have only one word: chapeau!

The journey is, of course, also metaphorical — one of self-discovery (for Sadie and Norman), and of reconciliation and acceptance (for Sadie and Leonard). It was always going to end on a high, and it does — an exhilarating, satisfying, fist-pump of a high.

And the best bit of all? We’re all set up for a sequel! Please, Julietta Henderson, give us more Norman Foreman. Soon. Very soon. Like, this year.

Heart-breaking and heart-warming, genuinely funny mother-son adventure.

Two narrators, each alike in their pathos and humour, in fair Edinburgh, where we lay our scene...

I was swept up in each of these two narrations - the story grabs your heart straight away and gives it a tentative squeeze, then never quite lets go of the wringing... Norman's best friend has died. Aged 11. Yes, 11. The pair of them had a plan - to hone their double act, study the comic greats, and perform at the Edinburgh Fringe. Well, Jax and his larger-than-life personality may not be around any more, but Norman is, and he wants to honour his best friend. Even if he was the straight man of the pair with no comic timing whatsoever.

Norman's mum Sadie is devastated for her son. Already struggling with self-doubt and psoriasis, he's got HER for a mother, the woman who forgets all his appointments and doesn't even know which of four possibles was his actual father. Yes, 4.

But she knows his dream. And impulsively, she promises to help him fulfil it. Oh yes, and find his real dad for him as well.

With an 80-something colleague, a Google search and a car, they are off on a road trip round the country in search of fathers, venues and punchlines.

This is the sort of book you recognise early on for what it will be - a quirky, loveable, warm and funny journey with characters you can't help but recognise and feel for. The multiple setpieces that bring adventure and surprise mount up, with some truly insane moments at times, and the back and forth between mother and son does work wonderfully for showing each viewpoint and the contradictory views. I'm not sure which I preferred - I empathised more with the mother, but enjoyed the growth of Norman more as a pre-adolescent.

This had some moments that made me laugh out loud, I regularly wanted to see this on a screen, and I loved the cast of characters and idea for this .

Wonderful debut, won't fail to touch you.

With thanks to LoveReading and Netgalley, for providing a sample reading copy.

Synopsis: Norman and his best friend Jax made a plan to be the best comedy duo in the world when they turned 15, but Jax dies before their 12th birthdays so Norman, with the help of his mum and pensioner Leonard, make the journey all the way from Penzance to honour him with a tribute act at Edinburgh Fringe.

Review: OMG another book that has flown into my top 10 books of 2021 and I’m 100% certain it will still be there at the end of the year because it is GORGEOUS - think “About a Boy” meets “Little Miss Sunshine.” The characterisation is sublime, I completely adore Norman, and Jax from what we hear about him, Sadie is such a loving mum and Leonard, well what we do without him?! I won’t ruin it but we also meet a tonne of other lovely people along the way to the fringe. This book is everything I wanted it to be; switching from the perspectives of mother and son, it broke my heart but not enough that I didn’t feel all the warm and fuzzies of this story and I genuinely laughed out loud at some of the little lines and phrases.

This book is utterly gorgeous.
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Julietta Henderson gives us the most heart-warming story about a 10 year old boy, Norman, and his mother Sadie, dealing with losing Norman’s best friend Jax by making the decision to fulfil his life’s ambition of performing in the Edinburgh fringe.
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Light-hearted and witty, with wonderful characterisation, Henderson draws us into Norman and Sadie’s world through alternating chapters of first person prose. She introduces other characters slowly, who are equally endearing...and whilst the plot line is farcical comedy...her characters are captivating and real. I had a particular soft spot for Leonard.
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Henderson takes on difficult subjects and tackles them with sensitivity, and intelligently employs comedy around the edges that assist in processing the themes, but does not make light of them. I will include trigger warnings for: suicide, drug use, and dementia.
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My only criticism is that there were about 50 pages too many, and some of the more humerous scenes played out just a little too long.
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However, I loved this book! It will make you smile, and give you a lump in your throat and I would highly recommend if you are looking for a touch of positivity and optimism in your reading pile!
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Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for providing me with an advanced copy of this gorgeous gorgeous book!

Norman Foreman is nearly 12 and him and his best friend Jax aim to perform at the Fringe festival as a comedy double act, unfortunately Jax dies and so Norman makes a new plan to perform on his own, even more unfortunately Norman isn't really that funny on his own. Oh and he also wants to find out who his dad is.
Sadies, Normans Mum wants to help her son get to Edinburgh, she doesn't particularly want to help find his dad, mainly because she doesn't know who it is and it could be one of many men she had dalliances with.
This book was laugh out loud funny, but also poignant in places too. Told in alternating chapters between Norman and Sadie we follow them on this journey. Norman was a great character, brave and lovely and Sadie was just hilarious. The characters they meet on their journey just had my heart melting and I had a smile on my face the whole way through.
I would highly recommend this one, but there is a trigger warning for suicide

Such an uplifting read. We all need a bit of humour in our lives and everyone should read this book. A fantastic debut and I cannot wait to read more by this author. A brilliant plot and I loved all the characters. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Norman and Jax are best friends. A comedic duo who’s five year plan will finish with a performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But, when Jax dies, Norman realises he still has to see this plan through to honour Jax’s memory.

The issue is that Jax was the funny one. Not Norman.

Nevertheless, with the support of his mum, Sadie, and her new pal, Leonard, Norman’s road trip/adventure to the Fringe begins.

It took me a few pages to warm up, but I adored it once I got into it. The characters are 100% what made this story for me. Julietta Henderson has done a brilliant job with this aspect of the novel as they truly made the book come to life.

So how did this book serve me?
🌻It lifted me up
🌻It made my heart all warm and fuzzy
🌻It made me laugh
🌻it felt like a four day hug

If you’re looking for something that will serve you in the same way, read this book. I promise you will find phrases that’ll make you smile and giggle as Jax’s comedic nature is brought to life through Norman and Sadie’s bittersweet memories.

Jax and Norman are 12 and the best of friends - they want to be comedians, the unthinkable happens and Jax dies and Norman is left on his own. With the help of his mum and their new friend Leonard they embark upon a quest for Norman to do his now one man comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe. This is a very funny book - lots of hilarious characters and will leave you feel all lovely and happy with the world when you have finished with it ! Loved it !

How can any review do this life affirming novel any justice?
The book is a long, sweet, warm embrace in which you feel cherished, valued, cared for and protected. It is a shelter against the wind and rain of life and a hot bath, dry pyjamas and cosy slippers after the shelter has temporarily blown away and you are left shivering, drenched, buffeted and bruised. It is the tinkle of shared laughter, a secret smile and the flame of hope which flickers inside us urging on us when we would rather give up. It is maternal love and friendship, memories and the desire to be brave and ultimately it is the echo of the future calling us to be the person the future already knows we can be.
Norman is 12, or almost 12 when his best friend Jax dies. It devastates him and his Mum Sadie. It has always been the three of them, and now there are only two, and the fragile, lonely and less than confident duo left behind are struggling to find the humour and abandonment in life that Jax so joyfully gave them in bucketfuls.
Norman was the straight man to Jax's funny, delivering the punchline, afraid of nothing guy and they were going to perform in the Edinburgh Fringe at some point in the future.
With Jax's sudden death the plan they shared requires urgent revision, and so Sadie and her psoriasis suffering son, embark upon a road trip with octogenarian Leonard and a timetable that sees them weave their way from Cornwall to Edinburgh, stopping along the way to practise the jokes and maybe locate a missing person, the man who fathered Norman. Even Sadie remains uncertain who, out of several candidates, it could actually be, but the unlikely trio are determined to find the answers and achieve their goals.
In equal parts hilarious and heart breaking, The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman is the Show of 2021, where Little Big Man has star status, topping the bill and endearing himself to everyone he meets.
HUGE thanks to Pigeonhole, Netgalley, the incredible Julietta Henderson and the publishers for allowing me a front row seat at the premiere. Red carpet reading for me all the way!

Absolutely wonderful. There's a fabulous balance between heartwarming and gut wrenching, with an all encompassing gentle humour.
The narrative is split between Norman; 12 years old, budding straight man who is bereft when his best friend, and partner in comedic crime dies. And Sadie; self depreciating mother of Norman who repeatedly brought me to tears with her lack of self worth.
I laughed and I cried at their adventures. I love the characters that we meet along the way and the development in our protagonists.