Norman is not the type of pet the boy wanted. Norman isn’t soft and furry and doesn’t run or chase strings; Norman is a goldfish. When the boy attempts to trade Norman for a ‘good pet’ things do not go as the boy planned. As the story continues, the boy slowly grows found on Norman, realizing that while he is not the pet he had in mind, there are a lot of unique qualities that Norman has that makes him a great pet!