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wrentheblurry's review against another edition
Not going to rate this one formally, though when I stopped somewhere in the 70s page range, I would give it a 2.5. I began this as an interim story to my boys (14 and 12), while we waited for the title we REALLY wanted toread to arrive at our library.
I didn't find the jokes to be funny, or the story compelling. I did like (as will plenty of the target audience) the inclusion of so many drawings; this added some flavor. Even though I never finished it, both of my boys did on their own, and the 12 year old tells me it was pretty good.
I didn't find the jokes to be funny, or the story compelling. I did like (as will plenty of the target audience) the inclusion of so many drawings; this added some flavor. Even though I never finished it, both of my boys did on their own, and the 12 year old tells me it was pretty good.
ogreart's review against another edition
4.0
I reviewed this book on my blog. Please come by for a visit.
http://mrbsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2015/02/i-funny-middle-school-story-by-james.html
http://mrbsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2015/02/i-funny-middle-school-story-by-james.html
surpriseitem's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. It's wonderful. I like it a lot more than I liked James Patterson's other books, even though I enjoyed those too. This book was hilarious. Seriously. It was also depressingly sad. But, in a good addicting way. Okay, so now I'm not making any sense, am I? Oh, well.
The Plot: I thought the plot was a creative idea and excecuted perfectly. Like, I'm not sure if they wrote it together, but if they did, then you couldn't tell it was told by two different people at all. The story had me laughing out loud the whole way through, and I had read 320 pages on my kindle without even knowing it.
The Characters: I really like all of the characters. Sure, Stevie was your typical bully, and he was like a Dudly Dursly, but I still enjoyed the characters and all of them, including the Smileys, made me "smile."
The Plot: I thought the plot was a creative idea and excecuted perfectly. Like, I'm not sure if they wrote it together, but if they did, then you couldn't tell it was told by two different people at all. The story had me laughing out loud the whole way through, and I had read 320 pages on my kindle without even knowing it.
The Characters: I really like all of the characters. Sure, Stevie was your typical bully, and he was like a Dudly Dursly, but I still enjoyed the characters and all of them, including the Smileys, made me "smile."
shhilenceinthelibrary's review against another edition
4.0
This book has characters you can empathize with, but it has a lackluster ending and lame jokes.
mehitabels's review against another edition
4.0
Read pre-kiddo, was impressed, touched, and got some really good eye-rolls out of it.
I love the intro to some great comedians for kids - Carlin, for example.
I love the intro to some great comedians for kids - Carlin, for example.
jbolwerk8's review against another edition
3.0
Jamie is a handicapped boy who is new to Long Island and is trying to fit in. Jamie is always cracking jokes, and all of his friends and his Uncle Frankie think he is hilarious, with Uncle Frankie prompting Jamie to enter the funniest kid comic contest. After overcoming some major stage fright, Jamie wins both the city and the state competitions. He ultimately learns how important hope is, and that laughter really is the best medicine.
I chose to read this book this week because my middle schoolers read it all the time and I wanted to finally experience it. I thought it was a good spin that Jamie was in a wheelchair, and he actually did have a lot of good jokes. That being said, some of them I think might go over kid’s heads and then they don’t get as much out of it. However, I think kids love the jokes, and I really like that the pictures added to the story, rather than just copying exactly what was there; they kind of made their own story. While I probably would not have picked this book out myself, I would be curious to keep reading the series to see what happens.
I chose to read this book this week because my middle schoolers read it all the time and I wanted to finally experience it. I thought it was a good spin that Jamie was in a wheelchair, and he actually did have a lot of good jokes. That being said, some of them I think might go over kid’s heads and then they don’t get as much out of it. However, I think kids love the jokes, and I really like that the pictures added to the story, rather than just copying exactly what was there; they kind of made their own story. While I probably would not have picked this book out myself, I would be curious to keep reading the series to see what happens.
aderonkea's review against another edition
3.0
Spoiler
Technically I read a paperback version but they didn't have the one I read. Whatever.If I could I would give this book a 3.6 rating, just not quite a 4. I really enjoyed though. It was a quick read and I liked the speech and thought bubbles in the illustrations. They gave more insight and unadded things from the text.
Jamie Grimm is a sit-down comic who is hilarious. His uncle pushes him to express his comedy with everyone there is just one problem. On stage, he is a nervous wreck and he forgets his jokes. When Uncle Frankie says he should try out for the Planet's Funniest Kid Comic Contest, he laughs and says it's not possible. But one night when he sneaks out to New York, Jamie might actually shot a chance of winning.
I would recommend this book to 8-11 years olds because they would like the comedy a lot more than I did. I wanted to read this a year ago and didn't have the time but my friend lent it to me so I finally had the chance. It will really make you laugh because as Jamie would say, "I funny."
literallykalasin's review against another edition
2.0
We acquired this book for our library on the requests from some teachers to do a reading list on books dealing with competitions. Usually this means sports, elite sports, and more sports, so we were happy to include something that was a little more middle school student friendly, about a kid in a wheelchair who competes in a stand-up comedy contest.
I listened to it as an audiobook on trips to school, and it was a quick "read." The narrator was actually a kid, which felt much more authentic than if they had James Patterson read it himself. But boy, was this not funny.
Maybe it's because I'm not a middle school boy? But I just didn't find it funny; and I'm having it read aloud to me! I know that my kids will enjoy it, because they enjoyed the other James Patterson middle school series. I just wish I could recommend it as enthusiastically as I can recommend other books in the reading list we've assembled.
I listened to it as an audiobook on trips to school, and it was a quick "read." The narrator was actually a kid, which felt much more authentic than if they had James Patterson read it himself. But boy, was this not funny.
Maybe it's because I'm not a middle school boy? But I just didn't find it funny; and I'm having it read aloud to me! I know that my kids will enjoy it, because they enjoyed the other James Patterson middle school series. I just wish I could recommend it as enthusiastically as I can recommend other books in the reading list we've assembled.