Are you "normal"?

Opening with an explanation of statistical data that most children will skip, this survey invites readers to measure whether they are normal or weird. A potpourri of intriguing questions, organized into 10 sections such as home, family, and food, run the gamut from Where do you bite a chocolate bunny first? to Do you pick your scabs? Points are assigned to the various answers based on statistical norms so that readers can total their score and see where they fall on the weird-o-meter. Unfortunately, one question asks, Were you or one of your parents born outside the U.S.A.? assigning weirdness points to immigrants. Aside from this jarring misstep, but the overall array of questions and the attractive format will entertain kids. Sources for statistics are appended, and students are encouraged to check them out on the Internet. This statistical aspect could be integrated into the curriculum, but the casual tone, colorful format, and weird questions make this more likely to be used as an enticing package that children will share with friends.--Perkins, Linda Copyright 2010 Booklist

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 (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

FOOD QUIZ   Where do you bite the chocolate bunny first? Hear this: Over half eat the ears first. Fluffy fact: 1 in 25 tastes the tail first Hop to it: 1 in 25 feasts on the feet first Who cares? 1 out of 3 just grabs, bites, and chews.   If food that's new makes you say P.U., well what do you do? A third of the kids would prefer to pass it off to a dog, cat, hamster, or little sister. Almost a third will happily dive right in. A quarter of the kids will try a little bite, but no promises! And 1 in 6 kids will play magician, take a napkin, and make the offending food disappear.   Pizza! Pizza! How do you like your slice? 4 in 10 say hot and cheesy in really pleasing! Another 4 in 10 say pepperoni gives them pep! With the works works for fewer than 1 in 10 kids. Something else? That's just not normal! Fewer than 1 in 10 eat it your way.   Do you cut up or wind your spaghetti? In the great debate between winding and cutting, the winders win. 82% of kids give their spaghetti a spin. 15% of kids give it the knife. And a few--3%--say they don't eat the stuff at all. Does that include macaroni?   How's that peanut butter? Smooth or chunky? Just over half of you spread the smooth. Just over a quarter of the kids cheer for chunky. The rest of the kids won't go near the stuff. That's 1 in 5 for tuna fish.   It's not peanut butter without… 42% think jelly is your jam. 27% chock one up for chocolate. 16% go ape for bananas. 15% know fluff is the stuff.   Apple! Orange! Tomato! Oh my! What's your favorite juice? Apple is your core juice: 41% Orange juice is your main squeeze: 40% Find grapefruit juice appealing: 9% Tomato is great-o: 6% None, thanks!: 4%   Do you usually eat good-for-you-food? Just over half say, "Smart sometimes, but mmm that junk food . . ." 1 in 4 says, "Me eat healthy. Me strong!" About 1 in 6 says, "I eat like PacMan, but not nearly as well." Almost 1 in 20 says, "Only when grownups are watching."   What's your favorite Thanksgiving leftover? It's a leftover tie between turkey and pie! (45%) Craving carbs? 4% of you feast on rolls. 3% stuff stuffing. One thing's for sure, it's definitely not normal to crave cranberries (1%)... …gobble gravy (1%)…. …or beg for veggies (1%).   Which ice cream flavor makes you melt? Vanilla (29.0%) Chocolate            (8.9%) Butter Pecan (5.3%) Strawberry (5.3%) Neapolitan (4.2%) Chocolate Chip (3.9%) French Vanilla (3.8%) Cookies & Cream (3.6%) Vanilla Fudge Ripple (2.6%) Praline Pecan (1.7%) Cherry (1.6%) Chocolate Almond (1.6%) Coffee (1.6%) Rocky Road (1.5%) Chocolate Marshmallow (1.3%) Something else (24.1%) Excerpted from Are You Normal?: More Than 100 Questions That Will Test Your Weirdness by Mark Shulman All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.