Normal tells the stories of four middle-graders affected by mental illness. It will be published in 2023 by Dixi Books. 

Genre: Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Scroll down for the summary, to read or listen to a chapter, to meet the kids, and for mental health resources. Check back often for updates.

Book summary:

Have you ever had a big problem? These kids have big problems. Sam’s mom has bipolar disorder. Sam feels helpless and overwhelmed. Oliver’s grandmother just died. She was his best friend and the only person who understood his anxiety. Margaret is a dancer with an eating disorder. Joel sees strange things he can’t explain. His new psychiatrist says he has a mental illness. Sam, Oliver, Margaret, and Joel just want to feel loved and accepted. They just want to feel Normal. But the more time passes, the worse things get. Will life always be this hard?

Meet the kids:

Mental Health resources:

Featured in Normal:

The following items helped the kids in Normal. Click each image for more.

About the author:

A voracious reader and aspiring writer since childhood, Charise Jewell was born in South Africa and immigrated to Canada when she was seven years old. She holds an Honours B.Eng. in mechanical engineering from McGill University, and worked as a robotics engineer for fifteen years before becoming a writer. Charise is the author of Crazy, Memoir of a Mom Gone Mad. She proudly lives with bipolar disorder and educates for the fair and dignified treatment of the mentally ill.

Praise for Crazy, Memoir of a Mom Gone Mad:

© Charise Jewell 2022