Al Capsella wants to be cool, to fit in with the other teenagers in his neighbourhood. And part of fitting in is to be like all the others, -to be normal. But despite his heroic efforts Al faces a crippling pair of obstacles, his PARENTS.

Mr & Mrs Capsella are not just uncool, they are a complete embarrassment to their fourteen-year old son. First off, they christened him ALMERIC, not something fashionable, like Brett or Scott, and now they just won't conform to what Al and all his pals know are normal parents.

Al wants parents who are: Perfectly ordinary and unobtrusive, quiet and orderly, well-dressed and polite, hardworking and as wealthy as possible. They should be seen and not heard. And PREFERABLY NOT SEEN VERY MUCH AT ALL

Along with schoolmates like Louis, Al has his own plans for surviving the abnormal antics of parents, grandparents and teachers. But in the end Al discovers that being really normal is the weirdest thing of all.