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My Life Is a Joke

My Life Is a Joke

#2 in series

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
In the #1 New York Times bestselling book, class clown Jacky Hart discovers she's a triple threat onstage—but will she have a chance to shine?    Jacky Hart has found a hidden talent in the performing arts, and she's a triple threat onstage! She wants nothing more than to act and sing all summer — but her parents have other plans for her. Jacky reluctantly signs up for a summer job in her resort town of Seaside Heights, New Jersey, where tourists come to enjoy the beach and fun carnival atmosphere.   Now she has serious responsibilities like her job and babysitting her younger sisters, but Jacky longs to perform in the summer stock performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Can she handle all of her important commitments and still have fun with her friends — or will she learn that juggling isn't one of her many talents?   James Patterson's middle grade jokester Jacky returns in this wild romp through summer in the Jersey Shore, featuring lively illustrations by French artist duo Kerascoët.
Don’t miss Jacky’s hilarious new adventure, Jacky Ha-Ha Gets the Last Laugh!    
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  • Reviews

    • School Library Journal

      September 1, 2017

      Gr 5-7-Jacky's mom is back from Desert Storm, her dad has graduated from cop school, and summer is about to begin. Time for ice cream on the docks and hanging out with friends! Except Jacky's dad is taking a low-paying summer job to get his foot in the door with the police department and now her mom has decided to go into the police academy. Jacky and her six sisters have all been instructed to get jobs to help pay for groceries and babysit their youngest siblings. On top of that, a famous actress is in town, and Jacky's favorite teacher has asked her and her friends to be in a Shakespearean production. There is also a mysterious rash of crime going on all over town. How will Jacky juggle all of her responsibilities, solve the crime, earn enough money, and still have fun? Whimsically illustrated by French duo Kerascoet, the line drawings are reminiscent of "Archie" comics and add more jokes to the story, which is occasionally very funny with a wacky plot. Unfortunately, Jacky is a mostly flat character, as are her family and friends. Disappointingly, stereotypes abound. The Italian shopkeeper is described as wearing large gold chains and saying "fuggedaboutit," the only other characters whose physical characteristics are described in detail are African Americans, and it is noted that girls enjoy gossip, clothes, and relationships (but boys do not). Pop culture references from the 1990s detract from the story and may be confusing or irrelevant to today's kids. VERDICT An additional purchase for robust collections.-Terry Ann Lawler, Burton Barr Library, Phoenix

      Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      September 1, 2017
      Grades 4-6 In 1991, 12-year-old Jacky and her older sisters must find summer jobs to help support the family. Soon she's running the Balloon Race game on the Jersey Shore boardwalk. Though she never stutters while amusing customers with her wisecracking carny patter, her tryout for A Midsummer Night's Dream is a near disaster. Still, she lands a small part. Later, after the Balloon Race booth is robbed and she loses her job, she puts her acting skills to practical use, setting a mousetrap to catch the thief. Lines from Shakespearean dialogue, along with facts about his plays and Elizabethan stagecraft, are woven into the story. As in Jacky Ha-Ha (2016), the framework introduces Jacky as an adult, a successful actress reminiscing for her two daughters. Black-and-white drawings with speech balloons illustrate the narrative and underscore its humor. Often impulsive but later reflective, the young Jacky makes mistakes and learns from them. Whether she's helping a sister, solving a crime, or dealing with a boy's first stumbling steps toward romance, this chapter book is engaging from start to finish. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Patterson and Grabenstein's latest big-time series will fly off the shelves, and that's no joke.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

    • The Horn Book

      January 1, 2018
      In 1991 New Jersey, likable twelve-year-old Jacky faces a summer of babysitting her younger sisters and working at the balloon race boardwalk game. When she's cast in the summer production of �cf2]A Midsummer Night's Dream�cf1], both her friendships and sibling relationships become complicated. Like the first volume, this story narrated by adult Jacky has an abundance of humor and a satisfying ending.

      (Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:4.3
  • Lexile® Measure:660
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:3

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