Not Norman: A Goldfish Story

This story has multicultural illustrations. The characters in the story are black, hispanic, white and Asian. The story is about a boy who doesn't want a goldfish for a pet, but ends up liking his goldfish anyway.

This story is about a little boy that gets a new pet fish, Norman. The boy wanted anything except Norman, because Norman just swims in a bowl and is boring. He wants a dog or cat, or anything except Norman. The boy learns that Norman is the greatest pet in the world, and decides he wants to keep

Show More

him.

Show Less

Told in first person this book tells the story of a little boy who gets a goldfish as a pet. At the beginning he doesn't want it. However, as the story continues the little boy decides Norman the goldfish is a good pet.

When a boy gets Norman the goldfish for his birthday, he is less than impressed. As he takes Norman around in an attempt to trade him, the boy realizes just how special Norman is. Only Norman listens to his show-and-tell. Only Norman likes his tuba music. Only Norman stays up with him when there

Show More

are strange noises at night. When it comes time to trade away Norman, will he still be able to? Noah Z. Jones’ illustrations appear simple, but are still filled with action and emotion. They fill in the gaps in Kelly Bennett’s narration perfectly. Not Norman will be enjoyed by children seven and under. It will especially appeal to those children whose parents won’t let them get a cat or a dog. It is highly recommended for both elementary school libraries and the children’s section of public libraries.

Show Less

A story about a boy who is always disappointed with his pet goldfish, Norman; everyone he knows seems to have a better, more exciting pet. Norman doesn't do much of anything but swim in a bowl. But after awhile, Norman begins to grow on the boy. The goldfish listens, he makes the boy laugh with his

Show More

fish-tricks, and keeps the little boy company at night. Ultimately, the boy decides that rather than wishing for anything else but Norman, he can't think of any pet he'd rather have.

This book would offer a great basis for discussing the importance of enjoying and being grateful for what we have, instead of finding fault with what we have by concentrating more on what we don't have. It is a sweet, simple lesson about noticing the good things and looking at life with a positive, glass-half-full attitude.

Show Less

A fun story about a boy who is not satisfied with his pet. Every kid dreams of having a super cool, fun pet, but a goldfish does not fit the category for this little boy. He is determined to take his fish, Norman, back to the pet store until he sees that Norman is always a friend to him. The boy

Show More

decides that a good pet is one that understands him and looks out for him, which Norman does. Fun illustrations with multi-cultural characters make this book great for any public or school library. The illustrations say more than just the text, which makes it great for story time/read aloud. It features show-and-tell time, which might be relatable to a lesson in school.

Show Less

a little boy doesn't wan his pet goldfish at first, but then loves him and wouldn't trade him for any other pet, "Not Norman".

Genre: Fiction
Age(s): 4-8

Summary: For a gift a boy receives norman a pet goldfish. He would take any other kind of pet, he does not want something that just swims around and does nothing. So he decides to get him ready to trade in at the pet shop, but before doing this he has to go through cleaning the bowl, show and tell,

Show More

and keeping norman safe. He learns that norman is a great listener, and never gets scared. When the day finally comes for him to trade norman in at the pet shop he realizes that while all the other pets are good options they aren't norman. So the boy goes home with a new bigger tank for norman and enjoys his pet even more than before.
Genre: Realistic fiction
This story could easliy happen to any child, fish are not the most desirable pet, and many times children have other exotic pets that are much more interesting. Many students could identify with the boy for not wanting to keep norman.
Point of View: 1st person, this story is told from the boy's perspective, he tells the story of how he and norman became great friends.
Media: digital art

Show Less

Review: This book is about a boy and his pet goldfish named Norman. After the boy gets Norman as a pet he is very dissatisfied with him and he thinks that he is very boring compared to other children's pets. The boy takes Norman to school with him hoping that someone else will want Norman as a pet.

Show More

The boy is not able to get anyone to take his Norman and all throughout the day Norman surprises the boy. Norman flaps around in his fishbowl and blows streams of bubbles, Norman looks and smiles right at the boy, and Norman even sings along to songs in his fishbowl. When the boy goes to the pet store to take Norman back he realizes that Norman is not like any other pet. Norman may not be able to run and play fetch or snuggle with the boy, but Norman is a special fish and the boy loves him.

Genre: Modern Fantasy
Genre Critique: This book is a fantasy because in the book Norman the goldfish has special human like characteristics. The fish cannot talk like humans do, but the fish knows about things that are happening outside of his fishbowl. Norman can look and smile right at the boy when he looks at him. The fish also can d flips and he can sing along to songs.

Show Less

Poor Norman. He's not the most exciting goldfish around. His owner, a little boy, would much rather have a more exciting pet, like a dog or cat. So, the little boy decides that he's going to trade him in for a new pet. However, slowly but surely, Norman changes his mind. Norman can do tricks,

Show More

listen to music, and even keep the little boy safe at night. The little boy realizes just how special Norman is.

Show Less

This book is about a little boy who has a pet fish named Norman. He is not happy with his pet because he thinks he is boring. Throughout the book he plans on giving him away so he can get a fun new pet. He realizes he has come to like him and keeps him. This is a good writers workshop book because

Show More

it has different ways of bringing the reader in and a great intro thats easy to write.

Show Less

Another cute book with an adorable message: be glad for what you have.

I love the underdog goldfish in this book. Having had goldfish, I've never experienced a bond like the boy developed, but I would have loved to have had a companion like Norman. Funny and heartfelt. Give it a read.

I liked this book about a goldfish named Norman. The main message from the book seemed to be to give someone a chance before you want to have nothing to do with them anymore. Giving people a chance and when you get to know them and not judge on first look or based off what other people say. Also

Show More

how everyone is special in their own way. I liked how the author used “not Norman” throughout the book first as a negative then a positive for the young boy. The author showed as the boy began to care for the fish more the more he grew to love him and not want to trade him. It was a short and cute story about friendship and care.

Show Less

Norman's new pet goldfish is too boring...but then the boy spends some time with him. Turns out, a fish can be pretty great. Lesson about loyalty and not judging too soon.

This is a very cute and delightful book! The illustrations depict the characters' emotions very well and the story itself is very optimistic with its main character's change of heart. For example, there is a scene where the boy's facial expression is clearly longing for a different pet as he

Show More

helplessly looks at other kids playing with their pets. The other kids and pets are different shades of blue which differentiates them from the main character through how he feels toward them. The illustrations are very colorful and do a great job with facial expressions and body language. An example of optimism is the boy's change of heart and attitude towards Norman the fish. He continues to thank Norman for being there for him through different circumstances. For example, no one in class paid attention to Norman's show and tell about Norman except for Norman. The boy old his fish, "Thanks for listening." The central message of the story is even if you don't like someone at first, give them a chance and appreciate them.

Show Less

Not Norman is a realistic fiction with a bit of fantasy thrown in. It follows a young boy who received a fish named Norman for his birthday and although he didn't want a fish originally, he soon realized how wonderful fish can be. Norman listened to him when no one else would, glugged along to the

Show More

beat of the music, and even helped the little boy be brave. By the time the book comes to an end, he wouldn't trade his fish for anything... Not Norman.

Show Less

The narrator of this book is not thrilled about his new pet goldfish and is ready to trade him in for a new pet. But little by little he grows accustomed to Norman and realizes what a great pet he makes.

This book is full of typical stuff for elementary school-age kids (birthday parties, class

Show More

show-and-tell, scary sounds in the night, etc.) so it is very relatable. The story of Norman quietly stealing the narrator's heart is sweet and also can be used as a teaching tool for when children are initially unsure about something. This title is also notable for having an African-American child as the lead character without race being an issue.

Show Less