Point of View

Waiting for Normal is told from the first-person point of view of Addie, a mature 12 year old. Addie's language and dialogue reveal she is both young and thoughtful. She has been exposed to more in life than other kids, which is shown in her understanding of human behavior. However, she is not a jaded child. She is still happy and slightly naive when it comes to her mother's behavior and motivations. Addie chooses to see her life as a good one and not as a bad one. Often Addie's analysis of a situation is hindered by her age. However, through dialogue, body language and word choice, the author allows the reader to see that there is often more to a situation than what Addie perceives. The adult issues in the book are never discussed by Addie, but are noted on and noticed by the characters around...