When ten-year-old January Keane sees herself reflected in an unwanted dog, she is determined to find her a home. It doesn’t matter what the test for autism shows; they’re both normal, definitely.
Jan lives in a loud, loving family who run a busy boarding kennel. Surrounded by dogs, she spends her time filming rescue videos and helping find new homes. But Jan is starting to realise she experiences the world differently, and after a meltdown at school her parents decide to get her tested for autism. Upon the arrival of New Dog, a quiet sensitive dog who forms and instant bond with her, Jan makes it her mission to find her a family who will love her quirks as much as she does. But when New Dog is returned like faulty goods and Jan’s test confirms she is on the spectrum, Jan shuts down completely. Now it’s up to June and New Dog to help Jan find her way back, and to show her that being honest, open and truly herself is the only real way to gain acceptance.
Normal, Definitely is a heartwarming middle-grade novel about family, identity, self-acceptance, and the unconditional love that only dogs can give.
Camilla Chester is a dog walker who writes. She’s been a finalist in two national children’s writing competitions, for the National Literacy Trust and Mslexia, and has previously successfully self-published three novels. Her first traditionally published novel Call Me Lion (Firefly 2023) was selected for The Summer Reading Challenge and shortlisted for the UKLA Children’s Book Awards. Camilla lives in Hertfordshire.
You can find out more about Camilla and her writing by visiting her website:
About Camilla Chester - Children's Author
Blog of Camilla Chester - Children's Author
WEL Publisher: Firefly Press, February 2027
Editor: Penny Thomas
Illustrations: Black and white chapter headers
Primary Agent: Veronique Baxter
Film/TV Agent: DHA (Clare Israel)
Extent: 36,000 words
Co-agents: Chinese – Andrew Nurnberg Associates; Japanese – Japan Uni
Option Publishers: Chinese Complex - Global Kids; Czech - Grada; French - Albin Michel; German - Magellan; Japanese - Komine Shoten; Korean - Green Frog; Swedish - Fyren; Turkish - Maxi Yayincilik