My Life Is a Joke

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.

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.)