Laugh Out Loud

June 1, 2017
Industry juggernaut Patterson invents this fanciful origin story for his kid-lit imprint.Jimmy, the adult author-cum-child narrator, believes that kids should write books for other kids. Mixing fantasy with Rand-ian can-do, Jimmy explains "how an ordinary kid like me got his own publishing company." Yard sales, an encouraging librarian who seems calibrated to pander to other encouraging librarians, and eccentric "bazillionaires" help Jimmy turn his dream into an outlandish reality. Despite continually proclaiming the superiority of books "by kids/for kids," Patterson name-drops some 38 other adult-authored titles, with literary references peppered throughout. Multiple Patterson-created characters appear as well, compiled at the end in an easy-to-shop list. For example, Jamie Grimm of I Funny (2013) motivates Jimmy using a cliched disability-inspiration trope, causing Jimmy to muse that Jamie "laughed and cracked jokes when he could've been sad and glum." Black-and-white spot drawings illustrate the mostly white characters and situations. The message to "never, ever, ever give up!" on a dream is perfect for adults parroting that refrain to children without examining how Jimmy's privileges are more instrumental in this imagining than his persistence. This zany romp through venture capitalism and self-promotion self-identifies as a story "that kids will love"--but readers will be better served by any of the titles named throughout. (Fiction 7-10)

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July 1, 2017

Gr 5-8-Motivated middle school dreamer Jimmy loves books, reading, and writing. He longs to open the first children's publishing company run by kids, for kids. Jimmy and his friends are constantly met with derision from adults, but they persevere. Patterson and Grabenstein emphasize that dreams can come true if you take action and never give up. Fans and educators alike will appreciate the many kid lit authors and titles mentioned throughout. VERDICT A humorous adventure with a positive message. Readers who enjoy Patterson's "Middle School" and Tommy Greenwald's "Charlie Joe Jackson" series will gravitate toward this novel.-Elizabeth Pelayo, St. Charles East High School, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2017
Grades 4-7 The champion of children's reading shovels autobiographical elements, references to popular middle-grade titles, and shots at dream-disparaging grown-ups into this tale of a boy named Jimmy, who's ambitious to start a book-producing company run by and for kids. With enthusiastic help from Chris Grabbetts and other thinly disguised associates, Jimmy goes about learning the ins and outs of publishing, despite discouragement from parents, teachers, bankers, and even (with one exception) librarians. Writing the stories turns out to be the easiest part of all, as Jimmy is a positive fountain of premises that will be familiar to Patterson fans (Ordinary kids who are genetic mutants with wings? Sounds awesome! You should totally write that up. It'd be a maximum ride! ), and manuscripts appear as if by magic. That all the naysayers get their comeuppance at the end is just one of the (young) crowd-pleasing aspects of this self-referential romp, and if it all seems more than a little self-serving, it's such a worthy cause that it's hard to take exception. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Patterson and Grabenstein are on their way to cornering the middle-grade market, and this meta peek behind the curtain should be a hit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)