Both have unstable families, and vulnerable people of. But though I really think Waiting for Normal is wonderful and would recommend it to any other adult readers of children's books, I would be much more inclined to recommend Hilary McKay to a child than Waiting for Normal. Characters as persuasively optimistic as Addie are rare, and readers will gravitate to her. This poignant and joyful novel is filled with meaningful moments and emotional resonance. The obvious books to compare are Hilary McKay's Casson family books. Addie works hard to fill the void her volatile mother creates, and Addie's attempts to make things “normal” result in some of the most moving scenes: she keeps the cabinets full by putting empty boxes of food on the shelf “for show.” In such moments Connor shows both the extent to which Addie has been abandoned and just how resilient and resourceful she is. While her mother disappears for days at a time with her new boyfriend, Addie cultivates friendships with people she meets at a neighboring convenience store, but the affection she receives from others doesn't compensate for the absence of love in her home. But after he and her mother divorce, and he gets custody of Addie's two younger half-sisters, it's up to Addie, a sixth-grader, to keep order in the tiny trailer that Dwight has found for Addie and her mother. Author of the award-winning Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel, Leslie Connor has also won great acclaim for Waiting for Normal. Addie's stepfather, Dwight, has always been the responsible one in the family. ) treats the subject of child neglect with honesty and grace in this poignant story.
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