Dreidels on the Brain

As the only Jewish kid at Bixby school, with a family that’s downright mortifying and flat broke, it’s no wonder that twelve-year-old Joel fantasizes about becoming a superhero – Normalman – that kid who looks like everyone else. Joel’s life is full of challenges: his father suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis and is disabled, and his mom has a host of medical issues as well. Money is a constant struggle, and if that’s not bad enough, Joel is short, wears thick glasses, and has braces. Luckily, he’s a talented magician and gets through life using his own particularly Jewish brand of self-deprecating humor. This story is set in the 1970s and is full of cultural and Jewish references from that period. In this poignant and funny coming-of-age story, Joel learns to appreciate the good things in life and manage the difficulties too.