Are You "Normal"?

Gr 5–8—This novelty book poses a 100-question survey designed to help kids gauge their "weirdness" or "normalcy" based on responses to queries such as: "Do you bite your fingernails?" "Could you shut your computer off for a week?" "How much television do you really watch each day?" Published in a spirit of fun and raillery, which is reflected in goofy photos and playful formatting, it will appeal to youth who are inherently self-conscious and naturally curious about how they measure up in relation to others. Beneath all the frivolity a subliminal lesson in statistics hides like a vitamin pill in applesauce as numbers and percentages are applied in personal assessments as readers tally their answers. An advisement regarding the concept of conformity and "majority rules" implied in the premise of comparison to others should be attached to this book to ensure that "weirdness" is embraced and uniqueness lauded. A lighthearted introduction or supplement to math or cultural studies.—Kathryn Diman, Bass Harbor Memorial Library, Bernard, ME