School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-Jacky Hart has a lot on her plate this school year. Her mom is on active military duty in Iraq, her dad seems to be hanging out a lot with another woman, and, with six sisters, Jacky feels like she's invisible. To make things worse, whenever she gets nervous, she tends to stutter or tell jokes that can rub people the wrong way. When Jacky receives a record-breaking 20 detentions her first week of school, her principal makes her be a part of the school play and participate in the school's public speaking contest as punishment. Will Jacky find a way to get through the play and her public speech without stuttering? Narrator Tara Sands brings to life Jacky's world with flair and humor. Her voices are original and easily distinguishable. The plot is well developed and portrays a balanced perspective of middle school. VERDICT Readers who like humorous realistic fiction such as Rachel Renée Russell's "Dork Diaries" series will enjoy listening to this book. ["Despite its many shortcomings, this title is sure to have high circulation among fans of Patterson's previous works": SLJ 3/16 review of the Little, Brown book.]-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Seventh grader Jacky Hart has been the class clown ever since classmates laughed at her stutter back in elementary school. "What's so wrong with wanting to be liked?" she wonders. Now "Jacky Ha-Ha" can't break out of her routine, even though her rudeness and pranks earn her numerous detentions. With her mother serving in Operation Desert Shield (the story is set on the Jersey Shore in 1990) and her father mysteriously absent most nights, Jacky is left without much guidance. Could a dynamic new English teacher help redirect Jacky's need to perform? The story is stuffed with page-turning pranks and social and family drama (Jacky is one of six sisters), and the swoopy b&w cartoons from Kerascoët, a pseudonym for French artists Marie Pommepuy and Sébastian Cosset, only add to Jacky's untamed energy. Framed as a successful comedy writer looking back on her wild 12th year, the novel is sure to amuse and encourage readers who don't have it all figured out just yet. Ages 8-12. Author's agent: (for Patterson) Robert Barnett, Williams & Connolly; (for Grabenstein) Eric Myers, Spieler Agency. Illustrator's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
In 1990, the seven Hart sisters are living under the not-particularly-watchful eye of their hardworking father while their mother, a Marine, is serving in Iraq. Just as school starts, 12-year-old Jacky vows that this year she will rise above her reputation as a class clown and prankster. Nevertheless, she racks up five detentions on the first day and 20 by the week's end. Her only way out of trouble terrifies Jacky, who stutters: try out for the school play and enter a public speaking competition. Jacky reluctantly joins the play's cast and the oratorical team. Smart, funny, and immensely likable, Jacky is a colorful narrator and an increasingly interesting character, and her struggles will strike a chord with many readers. The many black-and-white cartoon-style drawings increase the book's appeal. While the introduction, a letter written years later by Jacky to her daughters, lets readers know in advance that things will turn out OK, it won't diminish the fun of following this good-hearted but smart-mouthed tomboy through the ups and downs of her seventh-grade year. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Patterson puts out a lot of product, but his middle-grade collaborations with Grabenstein are among his best and best promoted.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist
