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Normal #1
Deliver Us from Normal
A humorous and heartbreaking novel about growing up in a large family. Now in paperback!
Yes, there really is a Normal, Illinois. Charles Harrisong should know; he was born there. But life in Normal is difficult for Charles because his family isn't normal at all. They're poor, for one thing. They stand out, which is the worst thing. After an ugly incident at school, Charles and his family leave Normal in the middle of the night and begin an adventure that takes them to a shipwrecked houseboat that just might be their new home. And Charles begins a personal journey within his own heart--one that will ultimately deliver him both from and to himself.
Yes, there really is a Normal, Illinois. Charles Harrisong should know; he was born there. But life in Normal is difficult for Charles because his family isn't normal at all. They're poor, for one thing. They stand out, which is the worst thing. After an ugly incident at school, Charles and his family leave Normal in the middle of the night and begin an adventure that takes them to a shipwrecked houseboat that just might be their new home. And Charles begins a personal journey within his own heart--one that will ultimately deliver him both from and to himself.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
16 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Kate Klise
65 books342 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Catherine "Kate" Klise is an American author of children's literature. Many of her books are illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. Their popular Regarding series is presented in a scrapbook style format, with letters, journal entries, and related ephemera telling the story. She is also known for her picture books as well as the bestselling 43 Old Cemetery Road series. Kate Klise's first adult novel, In the Bag, was released in 2012.
Catherine "Kate" Klise is an American author of children's literature. Many of her books are illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. Their popular Regarding series is presented in a scrapbook style format, with letters, journal entries, and related ephemera telling the story. She is also known for her picture books as well as the bestselling 43 Old Cemetery Road series. Kate Klise's first adult novel, In the Bag, was released in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
October 21, 2009
Let's get this out of the way first -- I grew up 45 minutes from Normal, so I'm a bit bias. A road "Thanks for visiting Normal" sign that got changed to "Thanks for Being Normal" doesn't exist. At least not that I've seen. The actually town motto/current campaign is racism: not in our town. No one from or from around Normal thinks the name is odd since we all know it comes from ISU being a normal school. But I digress.
Charles--and he's a Charles, not a Charlie although he wants to be--was interesting. I stuck with it because it's not everyday that you get an introspective, anxious, sixth grade boy who knows just how poor his family is as the narrator. The majority of the book are his thoughts and interpretations and it was somewhat slow. The normal theme was referenced time and time again. Overplayed, really.
Near the start of the book, Charles alludes to an event that shakes his family. Spoiler - some cruel kids write things like "poor white trash" and "stupid bitch" on his sister's campaign posters. Yes, that's terrible. But his family's reaction to it? You've got to be kidding me.
They decide to uproot all five of their kids four states South where they'll trade their car and trailer for an unseen houseboat and set sail down a river no one seems to know. Really? Because some mean kids wrote crappy things on a poster and because your kid got picked on? Here's the thing: Charlies is the kind of kid who'd have a crap time in any jr. high. Changing location won't fix the problem. Pretending your kids don't have to attend school won't fix the problem. Running away won't fix the problem.
Wow, I must seem mean. It's not that I accept bullying. It's just that his parent's reaction was insane and unbelievable. Who moves their five children onto a rusted houseboat that only sleeps 4 (the parents and youngest child will camping out on the deck nightly - ok, fine) three days after some junior high kids wrote something mean onto a poster? I can't support or suspend disbelief on this one.
The other main problem is that the book was written more for adults than for kids. The style, the amount of reflection, the fact that one of the "rich and popular" kids uses a dot matrix printer in 2005.
It's not all bad - the family is interesting as it Charles. It's just that the other parts stuck out and the more I think about them, the more I see the problems.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2008
Kate Klise’s Deliver Us From Normal starts out with a good beginning. “I was born in Normal, Illinois. Yes, there really is a Normal, Illinois…” This first page was a fresh voice of part geography lesson, part foreshadowing, and part honest family description, “…just like ours was a different kind of family.” It was cute, simple, and honest. However, this voice all but disappeared until the last page of the book.
The mushy middle in between consisted of Book One and Book Two, which seem like two different stories all together that were both equally unoriginal, boring, and weak. The narration was mostly descriptions and thoughts from Charles Harrisong, an immature, self-conscious, 6th grader starting junior high, who seems to be suffering from Middle Child Syndrome in his family of misfits that don’t meet the standards of “normal”. He goes through the typical conflicts of trying to overcome the obstacles of having a weird family, trying to find himself and his clique, and trying to escape the impression his family has already made in Normal, Illinois. These overused plots are boring, lack action, and the climax was a-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time misunderstanding. Charles was missing the self-confidence to explain the incident to his parents and the writing was missing the drama to make it tragic in the first place. Charles’ parents decide it’s just better to move on and leave Normal, Illinois in the middle of the night. Then begins Book Two.
Book Two is supposedly about the “journey to the Deep South” to start over, but that journey consisted of a couple descriptions of sleeping during the road trip and one stop at a McDonalds’ drive-thru. The real story is about the family’s struggle to survive by blindly buying a falling-apart houseboat and somehow surviving on traveler’s checks. This story was entertaining enough, with a real feel of family chaos that is very relatable, complete with descriptions of a rat drowned in the toilet and the rotting away houseboat. Finally, the ending page brings back that honest-and-simple voice and reminds you why you picked up the book in the first place.
The mushy middle in between consisted of Book One and Book Two, which seem like two different stories all together that were both equally unoriginal, boring, and weak. The narration was mostly descriptions and thoughts from Charles Harrisong, an immature, self-conscious, 6th grader starting junior high, who seems to be suffering from Middle Child Syndrome in his family of misfits that don’t meet the standards of “normal”. He goes through the typical conflicts of trying to overcome the obstacles of having a weird family, trying to find himself and his clique, and trying to escape the impression his family has already made in Normal, Illinois. These overused plots are boring, lack action, and the climax was a-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time misunderstanding. Charles was missing the self-confidence to explain the incident to his parents and the writing was missing the drama to make it tragic in the first place. Charles’ parents decide it’s just better to move on and leave Normal, Illinois in the middle of the night. Then begins Book Two.
Book Two is supposedly about the “journey to the Deep South” to start over, but that journey consisted of a couple descriptions of sleeping during the road trip and one stop at a McDonalds’ drive-thru. The real story is about the family’s struggle to survive by blindly buying a falling-apart houseboat and somehow surviving on traveler’s checks. This story was entertaining enough, with a real feel of family chaos that is very relatable, complete with descriptions of a rat drowned in the toilet and the rotting away houseboat. Finally, the ending page brings back that honest-and-simple voice and reminds you why you picked up the book in the first place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2017
Too much religion-bashing and profanity, especially for a book about a Christian family.
May 11, 2025
I wish I could give this book zero stars. I only finished this book because I am super proud of the fact that my DNF list is completely empty! This book is just one long gripe about religion/God. I am embarrassed to admit that I should have picked up on that fact from the title alone. The author has serious hangups about God. She uses this book as a vehicle to spit out what amounts to God bashing. I am not here for that. The part that gets me the most is that this book is geared towards children. The main character is an 11 year old boy. I am thinking this boy is actually the author herself. Children should not be subjected to such bollocks.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER UNLESS YOU ARE OK WITH SPOILERS.
Even if you can eliminate all references to God and/or religion in general, which is difficult because that is what the book is really about, you have left a small story. A story that has no point except to whine and show what "white trash" really is. I do not endorse the use of this term, but it is used excessively in this book.
The oldest child, 12 year old Clara, runs for class president. She doesn't even really care if she wins or not. Some of the popular clique write the words "white trash" and "ugly bitch" on her campaign posters. Now, as a parent, what would you do? Confront the school, confront the children's parents, ignore it, or just try to comfort your child and use this as a teaching moment? Afterall, this would be a prime time to teach the child that the world is full of jackasses that are to be ignored. Some other modern parenting technique? AWW, HELL NAW! Not these parents! They buy a "houseboat" sight unseen from a 3 year old magazine that's being offered by a shyster on the on the other side of the damn country. They sell/donate what they can, pack as little as possible, and trash the rest of their belongings. Next, they pull their kids out of school and scurry away in the middle of the night like a bunch of rats.
To say these were the decisions of crazy irresponsible people would be the understatement of the year. These parents pulled their children out of school, left decent jobs, left their house (where each kid had a real bed), left everything they and their children have ever known to go and live on what is basically a very small barge full of trash that is questionably seaworthy at best. And why? Because some kids at school wrote bad words on some posters. They didn't even say it to her face. That warranted ruining your FIVE kids' lives? This is how you teach your 5 kids to deal with some everyday bull crap?
One of the major "plot lines", if you could call it that, is that 11 year old Charles wants to be "normal". He spends the entire book blaming and bashing God because he and his family aren't "normal". But, after his family's nocturnal running away scheme, nearly dying on the "boat", not having a real place to sleep, forcibly dropping out of school, having nothing but scraps of food, Charles finally smiles and feels happy. *insert record scratch here* WHAT?!?
Implausible. Ridiculous. Stupid. In your face God bashing. Negative lessons taught. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth. These are a few of the things that this book is. Worth reading and written for children are two things that this book is not.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER UNLESS YOU ARE OK WITH SPOILERS.
Even if you can eliminate all references to God and/or religion in general, which is difficult because that is what the book is really about, you have left a small story. A story that has no point except to whine and show what "white trash" really is. I do not endorse the use of this term, but it is used excessively in this book.
The oldest child, 12 year old Clara, runs for class president. She doesn't even really care if she wins or not. Some of the popular clique write the words "white trash" and "ugly bitch" on her campaign posters. Now, as a parent, what would you do? Confront the school, confront the children's parents, ignore it, or just try to comfort your child and use this as a teaching moment? Afterall, this would be a prime time to teach the child that the world is full of jackasses that are to be ignored. Some other modern parenting technique? AWW, HELL NAW! Not these parents! They buy a "houseboat" sight unseen from a 3 year old magazine that's being offered by a shyster on the on the other side of the damn country. They sell/donate what they can, pack as little as possible, and trash the rest of their belongings. Next, they pull their kids out of school and scurry away in the middle of the night like a bunch of rats.
To say these were the decisions of crazy irresponsible people would be the understatement of the year. These parents pulled their children out of school, left decent jobs, left their house (where each kid had a real bed), left everything they and their children have ever known to go and live on what is basically a very small barge full of trash that is questionably seaworthy at best. And why? Because some kids at school wrote bad words on some posters. They didn't even say it to her face. That warranted ruining your FIVE kids' lives? This is how you teach your 5 kids to deal with some everyday bull crap?
One of the major "plot lines", if you could call it that, is that 11 year old Charles wants to be "normal". He spends the entire book blaming and bashing God because he and his family aren't "normal". But, after his family's nocturnal running away scheme, nearly dying on the "boat", not having a real place to sleep, forcibly dropping out of school, having nothing but scraps of food, Charles finally smiles and feels happy. *insert record scratch here* WHAT?!?
Implausible. Ridiculous. Stupid. In your face God bashing. Negative lessons taught. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth. These are a few of the things that this book is. Worth reading and written for children are two things that this book is not.
September 8, 2017
I was a little surprised at how heavy this book felt. Charles, the main character, is 11 years old and wracked by anxieties. He's incredibly self-conscious and embarrassed by almost everything his family does. He also thinks that a lot of his family's problems are his fault. It's only at the very end of the book that he finally starts to relax. I'm not sure if he ever realizes how skewed his perception is. That was a little surprising to me in a children's book.
Embarrassment and anxiety is very normal in teens and pre-teens, so I was interested to see how it would be depicted in this story. I was hoping that readers would finish the book and get the message that they don't have to worry so much. Although Deliver Us From Normal does end on a hopeful note, there's a lot to wade through to get there.
Embarrassment and anxiety is very normal in teens and pre-teens, so I was interested to see how it would be depicted in this story. I was hoping that readers would finish the book and get the message that they don't have to worry so much. Although Deliver Us From Normal does end on a hopeful note, there's a lot to wade through to get there.
August 19, 2015
My son picked this book out during our weekly quest for the best audiobook yet discovered (by us). Having grown up in Eastern Iowa, I was familiar with the town of Normal, IL and drawn to both the Catholic undertones of the title as well as the promise of some interesting childhood moments, compliments of the rural setting. It was told through the eyes of a very self-conscious 11 year-old boy, Charles, who was the second of five children (which might have explained some of it's pull for my 11 year old, second-of-five, child). On the whole, the narrator's self-esteem issues and prepubescent emotions gave the story an edge that left me feeling sad. However, it could be that the sullenness of the story was exaggerated because we listened to the book. Hearing the character's "voice" always tends to make me feel like I have a relationship with him. In this case, I felt like a protective mother - all the while, examining my own interfamilial relationships, as I listened. The story takes an interesting turn in the end and there is a quiet and lovely internal resolution for Charles that redeems the book. I could stop saying "this is so sad" under my breath, and say aloud "See kids? There is a solution to every problem"...(under my breath...the fictional dad says so). The moral of the story was a good one for children to learn and the gentle sage that was the older sister, Clara, taught us all something as well.
February 14, 2009
The book is supposedly told from the point of view of a 6th grade boy named Charles. I say supposedly because no 6th grader would use passages like the ones she had coming from the main character, with small details about driving, etc. "Normal" is both the name and the description of the town he and his family live in. Charles has a big family that doesn't fit in, and of course that bothers him. His sister runs for class president, some kids from the school vandalize the posters, and all of the sudden the family packs up and takes off in the middle of the night. Before they took off, Charles heard something about someone feeling bad for him and I thought there was something more to the story, so I read excitedly to the end to find out... nothing. The family packed up in the middle of the night and moved onto an old houseboat in the middle of nowhere just because the girl's campaign posters were vandalized. Great lesson there- when someone picks on you, move! It was a very well written book (for adults), I wish there had been more to it.
December 21, 2010
I really didn't like this book for quite a while as I read it because of the religion-bashing that went on. Then I got caught up in the lives of these poor children and their family and I had to see how things turned out. This is a very quirky book. Very unusual, and very un-normal. Charles Harrisong's family is very poor (white trash is what the other kids in the book call them), getting their clothes from thrift stores, renting a house instead of owning it. Things go from bad to worse when the family decides to leave Normal because of a horrific event, and move to a new place. I was surprised by some of the language in this book (the girls at school call Harry's sister a b****.) But I have to admit that there have been moments in my life when I just wanted to chuck it all in, and pick up and go to someplace where no one knew me and start life all over again, just like they do in this book. I still don't think the author needed to bash religion so much, so I'm only giving it two stars.
April 24, 2022
A well-written but quirky story about an eccentric family, told from the point of view of Charles Harrisong, a morbidly self-conscious 11-year-old. Charles has a long list of embarrassments that he frequently reviews, his family being at the forefront. Ironically, they live in the town of Normal, Illinois, but don't fit in with the community. Charles is the second oldest of five children, and their circumstances force them to shop for clothes at the Bargain Bonanza and to rent rather than own a home. Charles loves his family even though he is mortified by some of their actions, and is particularly close to Clara, his older sister. Clara is an artist who loves a good story as much as Charles, but she is far less intimidated by people than he is, and decides to run for president of her 7th grade class.
After Clara's campaign is sabotaged by cruel classmates, their parents decide to have everyone pack up and leave their home in the middle of the night. Clara, Charlie, their younger siblings Ben, Laura and Sally, and two rabbits get into the car with their parents and drive to Alabama. Why Alabama? The decision seems random, until they learn that their parents have bought an old, run-down boat docked there and have decided to make this their new home.
While this book moved pretty well and wasn't dull, I wasn't sure what its focus was. While I can relate to Charles' feeling like an outsider, his mortification and overthinking each embarrassment in his life gave the story a heavy feeling. I was worried about him, and when he's furious at his father later in the story, he sounds a little unhinged. Was the story about how Charles needed to learn to accept himself and his family? Yes, but there were other themes apparent: questioning his belief in God, writing, irresponsible parenting, and poverty. I disagree with readers who say there's "religion-bashing" in the book; it seemed like normal questioning to me. But there were other parts of the book that bothered me. I found it hard to believe that his parents would flee their town in the middle of the night because of one incident, and harder to believe that they'd buy a broken-down boat sight unseen. Also, I can't help wondering: what about jobs and school?
In summary, an interesting story, but it just didn't work for me.
After Clara's campaign is sabotaged by cruel classmates, their parents decide to have everyone pack up and leave their home in the middle of the night. Clara, Charlie, their younger siblings Ben, Laura and Sally, and two rabbits get into the car with their parents and drive to Alabama. Why Alabama? The decision seems random, until they learn that their parents have bought an old, run-down boat docked there and have decided to make this their new home.
While this book moved pretty well and wasn't dull, I wasn't sure what its focus was. While I can relate to Charles' feeling like an outsider, his mortification and overthinking each embarrassment in his life gave the story a heavy feeling. I was worried about him, and when he's furious at his father later in the story, he sounds a little unhinged. Was the story about how Charles needed to learn to accept himself and his family? Yes, but there were other themes apparent: questioning his belief in God, writing, irresponsible parenting, and poverty. I disagree with readers who say there's "religion-bashing" in the book; it seemed like normal questioning to me. But there were other parts of the book that bothered me. I found it hard to believe that his parents would flee their town in the middle of the night because of one incident, and harder to believe that they'd buy a broken-down boat sight unseen. Also, I can't help wondering: what about jobs and school?
In summary, an interesting story, but it just didn't work for me.
October 6, 2017
Return us from Normal
By Finn Ziegler
Return us from Normal is a funny, adventurous, bazaar, realistic fiction book about a boy family and his six other weird family members that he claims that they always are embarrassing him and a bunch of other complaints in his life like not owning a cello or being annoyed that his sister is running for class president. At parts the book is very interesting like when their boat is sinking and Charles has to help his dad below deck to save the boat. Other parts are super boring and don’t keep me hooked, like the picnic scene where they talk about where they are going to go and that they are going to be homeschooled and his older sister Clara gets really upset about that. Those boring parts would literally be so low paced that I would fall asleep. Trust me I’m not the always tired type. Plus, I have trouble falling asleep most times in bed.
Charles Harringson the fourth oldest of five children thinks that he will live the rest of his life in Normal Illinois being bullied at school being embarrassed at home, but his life is about to change when their family sees a newspaper and someone is selling a cheap houseboat which leads into a big, sea, adventure. Another strange thing about this book is that Charles, for the whole book keeps on thinking about a cheesy cowboy themed store called Bargain Bonanza.
Return us from Normal is a book that you catch the mind of an adventurous young teenager. The main character Charles is 12 does have some deadly thoughts near the end of the book and one page repeatedly says the b**** word. This means that the book is for someone with maturity I recommend a mature sixth grader (11 or above [doesn’t have to be 11 but recommended]). Otherwise it’s a funny cool interesting adventures back that I really enjoyed and if you read this book I hope you would enjoy it too. I would give it four stars for having a good plot and storyline.
By Finn Ziegler
Return us from Normal is a funny, adventurous, bazaar, realistic fiction book about a boy family and his six other weird family members that he claims that they always are embarrassing him and a bunch of other complaints in his life like not owning a cello or being annoyed that his sister is running for class president. At parts the book is very interesting like when their boat is sinking and Charles has to help his dad below deck to save the boat. Other parts are super boring and don’t keep me hooked, like the picnic scene where they talk about where they are going to go and that they are going to be homeschooled and his older sister Clara gets really upset about that. Those boring parts would literally be so low paced that I would fall asleep. Trust me I’m not the always tired type. Plus, I have trouble falling asleep most times in bed.
Charles Harringson the fourth oldest of five children thinks that he will live the rest of his life in Normal Illinois being bullied at school being embarrassed at home, but his life is about to change when their family sees a newspaper and someone is selling a cheap houseboat which leads into a big, sea, adventure. Another strange thing about this book is that Charles, for the whole book keeps on thinking about a cheesy cowboy themed store called Bargain Bonanza.
Return us from Normal is a book that you catch the mind of an adventurous young teenager. The main character Charles is 12 does have some deadly thoughts near the end of the book and one page repeatedly says the b**** word. This means that the book is for someone with maturity I recommend a mature sixth grader (11 or above [doesn’t have to be 11 but recommended]). Otherwise it’s a funny cool interesting adventures back that I really enjoyed and if you read this book I hope you would enjoy it too. I would give it four stars for having a good plot and storyline.
September 23, 2018
I am on a Kate Klise book trip - nd the cover with two rabbits on it for just too big a draw. I struggled with this being labeled juvenile and not YA. It is really both. Some situations are definitely YA and the mild profanity with the one F-word pushed it to a YA setting for me.
Thank God our school was more lower middle class and only a few people flaunted their better clothes and activities. The kids were great to each other, but this was another time and place. I can see how a large family wandering into a town where you did not grow up could cause an acceptance issue. Our schools are plastered with "No Place for Hate" signs, which my husband says indicates there already is a big problem. I like to think I would have befriended these kids and I would have stood up when they were bullied, but at that age sometimes you just don't recognize it until the situation is huge.
Which situation is the one that caused the parents to pick up and leave on such short notice - the unhappiness of the first grader and/or sixth grader, or the final straw with the nasty vandalism to the seventh grader's campaign poster? As much as Charles tries not to be identified with his abnormal family, he is very proud of his siblings. I ended by hoping that the cohesive abnormal amount of love this family possesses will carry them through all of life's difficulties and provide a solid place for each of them to ground their lives.
Thank God our school was more lower middle class and only a few people flaunted their better clothes and activities. The kids were great to each other, but this was another time and place. I can see how a large family wandering into a town where you did not grow up could cause an acceptance issue. Our schools are plastered with "No Place for Hate" signs, which my husband says indicates there already is a big problem. I like to think I would have befriended these kids and I would have stood up when they were bullied, but at that age sometimes you just don't recognize it until the situation is huge.
Which situation is the one that caused the parents to pick up and leave on such short notice - the unhappiness of the first grader and/or sixth grader, or the final straw with the nasty vandalism to the seventh grader's campaign poster? As much as Charles tries not to be identified with his abnormal family, he is very proud of his siblings. I ended by hoping that the cohesive abnormal amount of love this family possesses will carry them through all of life's difficulties and provide a solid place for each of them to ground their lives.
January 12, 2025
I don't think it would've been an absolute chore to finish this book, but ultimately I just didn't want to. I was genuinely interested in Charles because I haven't encountered a lot of young narrators with anxiety, but there wasn't much else that kept my attention. Charles talks a -lot- about how his family is super not normal, and it seems like this isn't just supposed to be his anxiety talking. But... his family seems super normal?
I skimmed some reviews to see if it might get more interesting, but it doesn't look like it. His parents make a wild decision to move in the middle of the night because their daughter gets bullied, and that decision is truly the only abnormal thing about them.
I skimmed some reviews to see if it might get more interesting, but it doesn't look like it. His parents make a wild decision to move in the middle of the night because their daughter gets bullied, and that decision is truly the only abnormal thing about them.
May 14, 2023
This should be required reading for GenZ and younger to learn what elder millennials and GenX went through in middle school and high school. None of this “my mom is my best friend” crap. This book is how-to manual for those that need more things to worry about or need help prioritizing their things to worry about senselessly list. 😆
November 20, 2017
oof
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2018
this book was alright although for some of the time i was confused and i did not understand what was going on.
August 31, 2018
Pretty good.
June 20, 2020
I didn't like the religion bashing and the profanity.
June 1, 2014
The story line is unbelievable but the book moves at a fast pace and the family dynamics are beautiful. I was easily caught up in it. The story covers religion and the relationships between siblings and with their parents. It does not cover how to deal with bullies. It is real and honest.
I do not believe Charles ever found out that he was not the cause of their leaving town.
Charles thinks about God: "But if He couldn't prevent stuff like this, then He wasn't a very good God. And if He could prevent stuff like this and chose not to, then He wasn't very nice." Page 113
Clara shares visualization with her family: "...turn off everything in your mind. If it helps, you can picture yourself turning switches off to school, work, whatever...go to the quiet place in your heart. To get there, you just have to think of someone you love...hold that image...till your heart starts to feel warm, like it's kind of glowing. Because this is how you listen to your heart...remembering a place that feels completely good and pure...so I want you to imagine your life as a house...the thing about this house is that it has only four rooms: a mental room, an emotional room, a physical room and a spiritual room. Okay? So now I want you to visualize yourself going in each room. Find a chair or a sofa. And sit down and just look around...most of use have these houses. I mean, we ARE these houses. But we spend all of our time in just one or two rooms. WE live in half our house. We don't even decorate the other rooms. So you have to remember to go in every room of your house...every day, even if it's just t fling the door open and look around and see what's in there." Pages 166-169
One of my favorite parts was when Laura tried to patch the boat with her gum. Page 197
Charles' feelings about his father at a very stressful time were honest. The author was courageous in sharing the mixture of raw, scary emotions. Page 207
What I will remember is the loving, supportive, insightful discussion between the two oldest children. It warmed my heart:
"Chums, you know how I know I'm right about the Atticus thing?"
"How?"
"Because remember when you were reading To Kill A Mockingbird to me and I made you use different voices for all the characters?"
"Yeah," I said, thinking how long ago that seemed.
"Well," Clara said, holding the rope steady for me, "you always used your own voice for Atticus."
I looked at my older sister...
"You're beautiful!" I yelled up at her.
Clara just laughed. So I said it again.
"I said you're beautiful. You. Are. Beautiful!"
"I know I'm beautiful!" she said. "Now c'mon!"
My sister, the enlightened master. Clara helped pull me up.
I do not believe Charles ever found out that he was not the cause of their leaving town.
Charles thinks about God: "But if He couldn't prevent stuff like this, then He wasn't a very good God. And if He could prevent stuff like this and chose not to, then He wasn't very nice." Page 113
Clara shares visualization with her family: "...turn off everything in your mind. If it helps, you can picture yourself turning switches off to school, work, whatever...go to the quiet place in your heart. To get there, you just have to think of someone you love...hold that image...till your heart starts to feel warm, like it's kind of glowing. Because this is how you listen to your heart...remembering a place that feels completely good and pure...so I want you to imagine your life as a house...the thing about this house is that it has only four rooms: a mental room, an emotional room, a physical room and a spiritual room. Okay? So now I want you to visualize yourself going in each room. Find a chair or a sofa. And sit down and just look around...most of use have these houses. I mean, we ARE these houses. But we spend all of our time in just one or two rooms. WE live in half our house. We don't even decorate the other rooms. So you have to remember to go in every room of your house...every day, even if it's just t fling the door open and look around and see what's in there." Pages 166-169
One of my favorite parts was when Laura tried to patch the boat with her gum. Page 197
Charles' feelings about his father at a very stressful time were honest. The author was courageous in sharing the mixture of raw, scary emotions. Page 207
What I will remember is the loving, supportive, insightful discussion between the two oldest children. It warmed my heart:
"Chums, you know how I know I'm right about the Atticus thing?"
"How?"
"Because remember when you were reading To Kill A Mockingbird to me and I made you use different voices for all the characters?"
"Yeah," I said, thinking how long ago that seemed.
"Well," Clara said, holding the rope steady for me, "you always used your own voice for Atticus."
I looked at my older sister...
"You're beautiful!" I yelled up at her.
Clara just laughed. So I said it again.
"I said you're beautiful. You. Are. Beautiful!"
"I know I'm beautiful!" she said. "Now c'mon!"
My sister, the enlightened master. Clara helped pull me up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2015
This month I read a book called "Deliver Us From Normal" written by Kate Klise. The genre of this book is Realistic Fiction because the book has events that can actually occur in real life, but it's still based on a made up story which makes it's fiction. Since this book doesn't have a confirmed time set, I'm guessing it's present day because there is no old characteristics in any of the events stated in the book. The settings of this book are in Illinois and Alabama. The main characters of this book are Charlie, Clara, Ben, Laura, Sally, Mom, and Dad Harrisong. "Deliver Us From Normal" is mainly about an 11 year old boy, Charlie Harrisong, who is currently starting junior high, in Normal, Illinois. He is extremely embarrassed of his family because the family isn't like all other families in his school, which apparently makes him a "loser". All Charlie would like is to be like everyone else and to not stand out in the crowd. Also, Charlie and Clara get picked on at school, unfortunatley, because they are apart of the Harrisongs. Sadly, Clara gets humiliated when she runs for class president. She then puts up campaign posters that her fellow students at her school trash. Soon after Mom and Dad found out about Clara's personal humiliation, they decided to move to another state in order to start a new life. Mom and Dad agreed to purchase a houseboat in Alabama over the phone. They later find out that their future houseboat, which they named the "O'Migosh", is a wreck. Due to the Harrisong's financial situation, the family repairs the wrecked houseboat themselves. In the long run, the Harrisong's houseboat leads to a major crisis. Eventually, the Harrisongs have a conclusion to their story. Charlie Harrisong learns a very important lesson in the future. I rated the book, "Deliver Us From Normal", four out of five stars because the book was very interesting, but too slow at the beginning which made it a little exhausting to read and hard to stay focused on. I enjoyed the book, "Deliver Us From Normal", and I'm sure a lot of other people will as well.
March 14, 2016
Deliver Us From Normal is the story of a particularly angsty pre-teen (Charles Harrisong) and the moment that allowed him to move past that. As such, it really resonated with me. I was also an awkward worry-prone tween; fortunately, my disposition was tempered by a resemblance to Clara, the creative, positive, rise-above-it older sister of the main character.
The story takes place as Charles is starting Junior High and trying desperately to be absolutely unnoticeable. He does not succeed, in large part because of his family. They're unique, loud, and happy people. Then his sister, Clara, decides to run for class president. Anxious Charles "knows" it will end badly. But kids that age can be mean and juvenile, and when they target Clara, the Harrisongs decide their kids are at risk and opt to leave town. End part 1.
Part 2 of the book features the Harrisongs trying to start over, with Charles more convinced than ever that he is somehow ruining everything. They make the questionable decision to purchase a second-hand houseboat from a quick-talking Cajun, with the idea that they'll sail off and… who knows?
Without giving too much away, this is the story of things going from tense and anxious to actually bad to worse, before finally reaching a breaking point and improving. The story is all told from Charles's point of view, and bracketed by chapters that are clearly retrospective, carrying the implication that it really does get better.
Deliver Us From Normal was a different sort of school story, one I enjoyed reading because of a character that felt very real, if somewhat exaggerated. It was well-written, but easy to read.
The story takes place as Charles is starting Junior High and trying desperately to be absolutely unnoticeable. He does not succeed, in large part because of his family. They're unique, loud, and happy people. Then his sister, Clara, decides to run for class president. Anxious Charles "knows" it will end badly. But kids that age can be mean and juvenile, and when they target Clara, the Harrisongs decide their kids are at risk and opt to leave town. End part 1.
Part 2 of the book features the Harrisongs trying to start over, with Charles more convinced than ever that he is somehow ruining everything. They make the questionable decision to purchase a second-hand houseboat from a quick-talking Cajun, with the idea that they'll sail off and… who knows?
Without giving too much away, this is the story of things going from tense and anxious to actually bad to worse, before finally reaching a breaking point and improving. The story is all told from Charles's point of view, and bracketed by chapters that are clearly retrospective, carrying the implication that it really does get better.
Deliver Us From Normal was a different sort of school story, one I enjoyed reading because of a character that felt very real, if somewhat exaggerated. It was well-written, but easy to read.
November 14, 2012
Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com
Charles Harrisong may live in Normal, Illinois, but he knows his family is anything but. They practically live at Bargain Bonanza, and they're the only family in town who rents a home with no air conditioning. They're loud, and do everything together, and cause a scene wherever they go. Then, there's just him, Charles, who makes lists and sublists of "The Most Embarrassing Things in (his) Life," such as his horrible summer at scout camp and "The Yearling" incident at school. With his unique ability to feel the hidden meaning behind peoples' actions, Charles can't escape what other people think. All he prays for is for his family to be normal.
When his older sister's attempts to run for president of her class end with disastrous results, the Harrisong parents decide that they have had enough of their unforgiving town. After some quick decisions, they drag Charles and his four siblings away from Normal in the middle of the night on a quest to purchase a cheap houseboat docked in Alabama. As they leave the city limits, Charles offers up a new prayer to God to "deliver us from Normal. Get us out of here. Thank you."
Can the Harrisong family make it, or will this houseboat thing just be another horrible mistake?
Klise offers a refreshing voice in the young, shy Charles, and a hilarious look at a family who maintains a close bond throughout much tribulation. Layered with meaning, this masterful work will touch anyone who has survived their own, abnormal family.
Charles Harrisong may live in Normal, Illinois, but he knows his family is anything but. They practically live at Bargain Bonanza, and they're the only family in town who rents a home with no air conditioning. They're loud, and do everything together, and cause a scene wherever they go. Then, there's just him, Charles, who makes lists and sublists of "The Most Embarrassing Things in (his) Life," such as his horrible summer at scout camp and "The Yearling" incident at school. With his unique ability to feel the hidden meaning behind peoples' actions, Charles can't escape what other people think. All he prays for is for his family to be normal.
When his older sister's attempts to run for president of her class end with disastrous results, the Harrisong parents decide that they have had enough of their unforgiving town. After some quick decisions, they drag Charles and his four siblings away from Normal in the middle of the night on a quest to purchase a cheap houseboat docked in Alabama. As they leave the city limits, Charles offers up a new prayer to God to "deliver us from Normal. Get us out of here. Thank you."
Can the Harrisong family make it, or will this houseboat thing just be another horrible mistake?
Klise offers a refreshing voice in the young, shy Charles, and a hilarious look at a family who maintains a close bond throughout much tribulation. Layered with meaning, this masterful work will touch anyone who has survived their own, abnormal family.
February 25, 2017
I just read Deliver Us From Normal. It's Thanksgiving, so screw a cool intro like "Now, I am a HUGE sicker for cool titles with great potential..." I'm just going to give my thoughts plainly and simply. Here they are:
Does a very good job displaying the emotions and inner workings of a teenager (I, as a teenager myself, am a reliable source).
Pacing wasn't great. They spent a lot of time setting stuff up only to rush out a 3 or so chapter conclusion (Note I said conclusion, meaning I don't count the boat scene). Even the entire scene before that was rushed. Also, the transition between them at Normal and then leaving was extremely abrupt. Maybe that was the point, but to me it just felt like an easy way out. Like, if the author were asked about it, they could just give that excuse of "it supposed to symbolize the abrupt change" when really they were just being lazy. One reason I say this is because the book never purposefully changes pace for any symbolic reason after that. Or maybe I'm just crazy, who knows.
The story isn't anything special, and foreshadowing efforts are obvious. Everything else-how it's written, characters, etc.-didn't really bother me and were sometimes actually good.
But don't expect much else from this book. Besides, you'll likely forget it only the day after finishing. Especially if you also just finished another book much more memorable-the case here being me just finishing Animal Farm the day before yesterday.
And I'm giving this one a 5/10 and a 3/5.
Does a very good job displaying the emotions and inner workings of a teenager (I, as a teenager myself, am a reliable source).
Pacing wasn't great. They spent a lot of time setting stuff up only to rush out a 3 or so chapter conclusion (Note I said conclusion, meaning I don't count the boat scene). Even the entire scene before that was rushed. Also, the transition between them at Normal and then leaving was extremely abrupt. Maybe that was the point, but to me it just felt like an easy way out. Like, if the author were asked about it, they could just give that excuse of "it supposed to symbolize the abrupt change" when really they were just being lazy. One reason I say this is because the book never purposefully changes pace for any symbolic reason after that. Or maybe I'm just crazy, who knows.
The story isn't anything special, and foreshadowing efforts are obvious. Everything else-how it's written, characters, etc.-didn't really bother me and were sometimes actually good.
But don't expect much else from this book. Besides, you'll likely forget it only the day after finishing. Especially if you also just finished another book much more memorable-the case here being me just finishing Animal Farm the day before yesterday.
And I'm giving this one a 5/10 and a 3/5.
February 5, 2008
Charles Harrisong's life is one long list of embarrassments. He's embarrassed that he has so many siblings (three sisters and a brother), he's embarrassed that they have to shop at Bargain Bonanza instead of at normal stores, and he's constantly convinced that everyone around him is silently judging him. Still, he loves his family, even if he's tired of doing everything as a family, and when his older sister's campaign posters for student president are defaced in particularly nasty ways, he goes into a bit of a tailspin. His family takes this as a cue to get out of Normal and set off on a great, if ill-considered, adventure.
Parts of this book don't hang together all that well -- the whole idea that Charles's family would leave town based on a nasty prank doesn't quite fit, which left me as a reading trying to figure out if there was some other reason that Charles, and thus the reader, wasn't aware of. The answer is "probably," but it's never really revealed. That flaw aside, though, this is a wonderful, hilarious book. I identified so strongly with Charles; I don't know if I ever wanted to be normal quite so desperately as he does, but sixth grade was still one long study in humiliation that I cringe to remember. The rest of the Harrisongs are also fantastic; I ended up feeling a lot of affection for this family, and a lot of recognition as well. Definitely recommended.
Parts of this book don't hang together all that well -- the whole idea that Charles's family would leave town based on a nasty prank doesn't quite fit, which left me as a reading trying to figure out if there was some other reason that Charles, and thus the reader, wasn't aware of. The answer is "probably," but it's never really revealed. That flaw aside, though, this is a wonderful, hilarious book. I identified so strongly with Charles; I don't know if I ever wanted to be normal quite so desperately as he does, but sixth grade was still one long study in humiliation that I cringe to remember. The rest of the Harrisongs are also fantastic; I ended up feeling a lot of affection for this family, and a lot of recognition as well. Definitely recommended.
December 1, 2010
Not far enough along to say much. Just that the main character comes from a family of 5 kids. He is the second oldest. They had to leave their yellow brick home in Normal, IL (?) in the middle of the night for some reason. All else about their family sounds pretty normal so far.
I like the way they say that the "odds are with them."
Also...yellow brick. Are we suppose to think of Dorothy?
This is a funny book kind of. It took a while to get into, with no obvious plot and a lot of discussion of God and religion.
Charlie is completely uncomfortable and embarrassed by his family. They are relatively poor, compared to others at his school, and large and loud. He blames them for making him feel so out of place and on the fringe.
Then, around 2/3 of the way through the book, Charlie comes to the realization that his family is maybe not the reason why he feels so isolated and different. Maybe, it's his feelings of isolation and difference that make him perceive his family this way.
Whoa....deep.
At this very same time, his parents decide to pack up their belongings and move the family, in the middle of the night out of town and onto a boat in Alabama(?).
Why the sudden move? What are they escaping?
I like the way they say that the "odds are with them."
Also...yellow brick. Are we suppose to think of Dorothy?
This is a funny book kind of. It took a while to get into, with no obvious plot and a lot of discussion of God and religion.
Charlie is completely uncomfortable and embarrassed by his family. They are relatively poor, compared to others at his school, and large and loud. He blames them for making him feel so out of place and on the fringe.
Then, around 2/3 of the way through the book, Charlie comes to the realization that his family is maybe not the reason why he feels so isolated and different. Maybe, it's his feelings of isolation and difference that make him perceive his family this way.
Whoa....deep.
At this very same time, his parents decide to pack up their belongings and move the family, in the middle of the night out of town and onto a boat in Alabama(?).
Why the sudden move? What are they escaping?
March 3, 2013
A realistic fiction story about an eleven year old boy with a big crazy family. They live in a town called Normal, Illinois, but Charles wishes his family was halfway normal. The different personalities in his family embarrass him to no end, but when his older sister is the victim of school bullies he tries his best to protect her by attempting to destroy the evidence. This event sends their family on the adventure of their lives...
Packing up in the middle of the night, the Harrisong family leaves Normal and heads for Alabama where the tentative plan is to see about a houseboat. As luck would have it the boat salesman is a crook, but the Harrisongs band together and make it seaworthy. Before long they are out on the open sea and face their first big challenge (a leak) and come out a stronger group.
The first half of the book is a lot slower than the second part, though it does develop the characters quite a bit. This book might be a hard sell, but to a kid with a large family and a rich inner voice this book just might be the definition of "the right book at the right time."
Packing up in the middle of the night, the Harrisong family leaves Normal and heads for Alabama where the tentative plan is to see about a houseboat. As luck would have it the boat salesman is a crook, but the Harrisongs band together and make it seaworthy. Before long they are out on the open sea and face their first big challenge (a leak) and come out a stronger group.
The first half of the book is a lot slower than the second part, though it does develop the characters quite a bit. This book might be a hard sell, but to a kid with a large family and a rich inner voice this book just might be the definition of "the right book at the right time."
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March 20, 2008Deliver Us From Normal by Kate Klise
My name is Charlie Harrisong, and I can’t believe that I am once again here at Bargain Bonanza for back-to-school shopping with my family. "Please God, don’t let me see anyone I know. Please, God, don’t let me see anyone I know." Then, around the corner I hear, "Hey, it’s Charlie Harrisong! Hi, Charlie," and there were 3 of the most popular girls in my class. And I imagine you can guess why I didn’t want anyone to see me shopping today of all days, and at Bargain Bonanza? Because we were shopping for underwear, as my brother announced loudly and for all to hear.
So much for prayers. So much for being normal.
If you like to read stories about school, and families that are a little offbeat, read what happens to Charlie and his not-so-normal family and how they realize that having each other is what counts.
Grades 5 – 8, Realistic Fiction, AGU-8814
Submitted by Jocelyn Mullen, 9/14/07
My name is Charlie Harrisong, and I can’t believe that I am once again here at Bargain Bonanza for back-to-school shopping with my family. "Please God, don’t let me see anyone I know. Please, God, don’t let me see anyone I know." Then, around the corner I hear, "Hey, it’s Charlie Harrisong! Hi, Charlie," and there were 3 of the most popular girls in my class. And I imagine you can guess why I didn’t want anyone to see me shopping today of all days, and at Bargain Bonanza? Because we were shopping for underwear, as my brother announced loudly and for all to hear.
So much for prayers. So much for being normal.
If you like to read stories about school, and families that are a little offbeat, read what happens to Charlie and his not-so-normal family and how they realize that having each other is what counts.
Grades 5 – 8, Realistic Fiction, AGU-8814
Submitted by Jocelyn Mullen, 9/14/07
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October 11, 2012Deliver Us From Normal by: Kate Klise wasn't what I was expecting. Kate Klise usually writes book in mail format. Letters, news articles, memos, emails. This was her first attempt to do a serious book and she didn't do so good. The book didn't get to the point. Although the book crossed a very sensitive subject [bullying] Some parts were really good. The characters were well-developed and almost lifelike.The main character is 11 year-old Charles Harrisong and people mispronounce and misspell his last name. The location is in Normal, Il which is in Central Illinois and is actually a real location. Kate Klise and her sister write books that are more for kids 9-13 years old. This book was the first book that's more for sixth through eight graders. It portrays middle school as full with bullies and Charles has to fight for himself. This book can be very slow and I suggest this book to readers with alot of time on their hands.
June 8, 2013
I'm not sure about this book. The Kate Klise is one of my favorite authors... which is why I chose this book to read. However, the storyline seemed a little all over the place.. and I kept waiting to find out what the "big event" was that caused the family to leave suddenly in the middle of the night. When I got to the part, I was confused... as mean and ugly as the event was, unfortunately, things like that happen in middle school over and over. The difference is that action is usually taken against the offenders ... by running away, I feel like the parents didn't model a way of standing up to the bullies ( hence Charlie being angry with his father.) Deliver Us From Normal is sort of a Perks of Being a Wallflower & Silent to the Bone minus the sexual abuse. The ending is a good message, but it wasn't enough overall for me to run out to read the sequel.
Grounded is so, so much better in telling a story of loss, love and family.
Grounded is so, so much better in telling a story of loss, love and family.
June 4, 2008
Hmmm...not a bad story line but I don't think I liked it very much. The story was a little too out there for me. I had a hard time sympathizing with the characters; for some reason they didn't come to life for me. To me, it seemed like a book that boys wouldn't normally be in to but it didn't deal with "girl" issues enough for girls to like it. I believe that Klise is mixing up family life and school/social life a little too much in this book. Plus the whole Bargain Bonanza thing was a bit cheesy. Another reason I couldn't get into it was the seemingly religious influence. Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like Kate Klise may be a religious person (nothing wrong with that) who is trying to infuse her writing with her faith. I am not very religious myself and that may be part of the reason I couldn't relate to the characters that well.
August 21, 2017
A wonderful story, with a strong message of hope even through the worst of times. For the Harrisong family, the worst can be predictably anticipated. 11-year-old Charles is the narrator who documents it all. He’s fully aware that his family is poor, luckless and strange. He sees how their hardships multiply, and spends most of his time worrying over what will come next.
Charles doesn’t sound like any 6th grader I know. He shares some incredibly perceptive, and often hilarious, asides. And his anxiety attacks are that much more fierce for their mature plausibility. Then again, Charles seems to be ramping up for a completely irrational blowup. Through it all, he can see what’s good in the world, and he has an aching desire to build on even the slightest opportunities. And that’s why this book sincerely shines.
Charles doesn’t sound like any 6th grader I know. He shares some incredibly perceptive, and often hilarious, asides. And his anxiety attacks are that much more fierce for their mature plausibility. Then again, Charles seems to be ramping up for a completely irrational blowup. Through it all, he can see what’s good in the world, and he has an aching desire to build on even the slightest opportunities. And that’s why this book sincerely shines.
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