Product Description In this follow up to the #1New York Times bestsellerI Funny, middle schooler Jamie Grimm has big dreams of being the best stand-up comic in the world--and he won't let the fact that he's wheelchair-bound stand in his way. After winning the New York state finals in the Planet's Funniest Kid Comic Contest, Jamie's off to Boston to compete in the national semi-finals. But when one of his best buddies runs into trouble at school and a sudden family health scare rears its head, Jamie has to put his comedic ambitions on hold and stand by the people he cares about. Can Jamie pass up the big competition for the sake of his friends and family? (Includes more than 175 black-and-white illustrations.) From Booklist New triumphs await would-be stand-up comedian Jamie Grimm despite challenges introduced in this Middle School series spin-off’s opener, I Funny (2012). Those include being orphaned, confined to a wheelchair, and subjected to constant harassment from a bully—as well as further setbacks as he advances to the national round of the Planet’s Funniest Kid Comic contest. Once again Jamie gets loyal support from an appealing supporting cast led by girl friend (two words at the beginning, one word by the end) Gilda. The wisecrack-laced narrative is enhanced by lots of pen-and-ink cartoons with added dialogue. The book pokes fun at nerd dating, Las Vegas, and other such fertile topics, and it gives budding comedians in the reading audience useful tools both by showing Jamie developing his act from events in his own up-and-down life and by closing with a list of recommended online joke repositories. Grades 4-6. --John Peters From School Library Journal Gr 3–7—Wheelchair-bound Jamie Grimm is working on new material for his upcoming entry in the regional finals of the Planet's Funniest Kid Comic Contest. Patterson and Grabenstein pay homage to the timeless comedy of Abbott and Costello, Groucho Marx, and other greats, while introducing new jokes that speak directly to the middle school experience. Though it will date the series more quickly, references to trendy Vegas casinos and comedians such as Ray Romano, Ellen DeGeneres, Steven Wright, and Chris Rock give the book an air of hip relevancy. Can Jamie find humor in his bullying cousin, Uncle Frankie's medical emergency, and confusing relationships with Gilda Gold and "Cool Girl?" Yes, he can. And if you're wondering if a heavily illustrated comedic novel can make it as an audiobook, that's a yes, too. Young Frankie Seratch is perfectly cast as the narrator of this heartfelt and very funny look at middle school and family relationships. Seratch ensures that the humor comes across as intended, without a hint of mockery or maliciousness. A PDF companion file of the book's illustrations is included on disc three.—Lisa Taylor, Ocean County Library, NJ Review Praise for I Funny:A #1New York Times Bestseller"....Poignant.... Readers learn about [Jamie's] devastating loss and recovery from a tragic event....The affecting ending, which reveals a more vulnerable Jamie behind the guise of his humor, celebrates Jamie's resilient spirit."―Kirkus Reviews "The broad humor that runs throughout this heavily illustrated story... masks personal pain, demonstrating resiliency in the face of tragedy."―Publishers Weekly "Play[s] readers' heartstrings like a banjo.... A brimming bucket ofbada-bing!"―Booklist About the Author James Patterson has had moreNew York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according toGuinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 300 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, includingKiss the Girls andAlong Came a Spider. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.
Dimensions: 133 x 197
Author: James Patterson
ISBN: 9780316242646
Format: Paperback
Pages: