danicamidlil's review against another edition
2.0
Strange mostly. Would have been less strange if it were written by a woman perhaps...
fynsstars's review against another edition
4.0
may 2nd 2021: reread number 27 at this point? this is my comfort book so
michellew123's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
shighley's review against another edition
4.0
This book was pretty close to a '5' for me; if it had been a little less formulaic, it would be pretty near perfect. A small subplot with the dad was not my favorite part.
First of all, the book is actually funny without belittling others. Second, it has a wonderful family of supportive sisters. Third, it shows the difference that one teacher can make. Fourth, it pays tribute to our military. Fifth, I think that students will really enjoy it, and the somewhat cliched parts will go right over their heads. Even thought the cover is pink, I think many boys would enjoy it.
I listened to the audiobook, which was very well done; at times, it was like listening to standup. When I had the privilege of seeing James Patterson last month (he was even better than I expected), he mentioned that he was proud of this book. Having met both him and Chris Grabenstein, I could hear them in the book's words and attitude. I have a feeling that Jacky's school life (she describes working her way through elementary school) could have been much like that of some comedians growing up. Students who have considered things like acting or speech would really enjoy this; I like the description of being in a play as "creating something no one could do alone," which applies to things like band, orchestra, and choir as well.
I have a feeling that Patterson and Grabenstein were paying tribute to others in small ways in the book; there's a mention of Tasty Kakes (as in Maniac Magee), Joyful Noise ala Fleischman poems, books without pictures, and more. I look forward to booktalking this with my students, but I'd better buy more copies, because the one we have is rarely in, anyway. Because I listened to the audiobook, I missed out on the illustrations as I "read" the book. I looked at them later, and think that they will add quite a bit to the students' enjoyment (as they did mine).
First of all, the book is actually funny without belittling others. Second, it has a wonderful family of supportive sisters. Third, it shows the difference that one teacher can make. Fourth, it pays tribute to our military. Fifth, I think that students will really enjoy it, and the somewhat cliched parts will go right over their heads. Even thought the cover is pink, I think many boys would enjoy it.
I listened to the audiobook, which was very well done; at times, it was like listening to standup. When I had the privilege of seeing James Patterson last month (he was even better than I expected), he mentioned that he was proud of this book. Having met both him and Chris Grabenstein, I could hear them in the book's words and attitude. I have a feeling that Jacky's school life (she describes working her way through elementary school) could have been much like that of some comedians growing up. Students who have considered things like acting or speech would really enjoy this; I like the description of being in a play as "creating something no one could do alone," which applies to things like band, orchestra, and choir as well.
I have a feeling that Patterson and Grabenstein were paying tribute to others in small ways in the book; there's a mention of Tasty Kakes (as in Maniac Magee), Joyful Noise ala Fleischman poems, books without pictures, and more. I look forward to booktalking this with my students, but I'd better buy more copies, because the one we have is rarely in, anyway. Because I listened to the audiobook, I missed out on the illustrations as I "read" the book. I looked at them later, and think that they will add quite a bit to the students' enjoyment (as they did mine).
thebookishlibrarian's review against another edition
Jacky is a funny girl who has a stutter and loves to make kids laugh. Because she’s always making jokes during class, she accumulates a lot of detention time. Then Ms. O’Mara makes Jacky an offer. She can join the school play and attend rehearsals instead of sitting in detention every day after school. But can Jacky get her stutter under control to feel confident enough to act in the play? Read Jacky Ha-Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein to find out.
whitneygoods's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
the_lina_library's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this book it was good. I really enjoyed the part about Jacky's Acting to be a old lady named Amanda hug and kiss. It was honestly my favorite part. Her detention was also remarkable. She already has one on her first day! A lot of the jokes in this book are good. I really did like this book and I think the second one was good too but not as good.
jetaimee's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book twice already.Such a hilarious book.The main character have a unique personality.Love this book.Perfect for James Patterson fans and readers who likes comedy.
dvester's review against another edition
4.0
Such a good book for the younger crowd. It was cute and I loved that Jackie pushed herself and had help from her teachers. I think kids with parents in the military can relate since Jackie’s mom is in the military and away through most of the book.
briarrose1021's review against another edition
5.0
This is a heartwarming story about Jacky, aka Jacky Ha-Ha, who became the class clown and jokester because she thought it was better to have people laughing at you because you were funny than because you stuttered. Unfortunately, Jacky's antics tend to land her into trouble - at school, at home, even with the police.
In an effort to channel Jacky's comedic ability, her Vice Principal, Mrs. Turner, works out a deal for Jacky to participate in the school play as a way to work off her detentions - and since she's managed to earn 20 in the first week of school, she has the time. Then Mrs. Turner signs Jacky up to participate in a speech contest for the American Legion. Not that Jacky is thrilled about that. Every other time she's tried public speaking, she's ended up stuttering so badly she can't even finish. But Mrs. Turner isn't taking "no" for an answer.
Good thing Ms. O'Mara is there to help her with both the play and the speech. Which means everything is going great, right? Wrong. Because not Jacky has a very strong suspicion that her dad is dating Jenny Cornwall - also known as "the prettiest girl at the beach" - and she doesn't know what to do about it. Every time she thinks about including the news in one of her letters to her mom, who is currently in Saudi Arabia serving with other Marines in Operation Desert Shield, she doesn't know what to say. As a result, she ends up making her letters sound like everything is great, when in fact everything is not.
This story was really good. It covered quite a few issues that many pre-teens have to deal with, from stuttering, bullying, and overcoming fears, to learning from our mistakes, taking responsibility, and dealing with death. I also really enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek writing and the clever illustrations that were used to tell the story. There were so many places I ended up laughing out loud with the story that I am looking forward to reading the next story of Jacky's life: Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life is a Joke. I expect it will be as funny and heartwarming as this one was.
In an effort to channel Jacky's comedic ability, her Vice Principal, Mrs. Turner, works out a deal for Jacky to participate in the school play as a way to work off her detentions - and since she's managed to earn 20 in the first week of school, she has the time. Then Mrs. Turner signs Jacky up to participate in a speech contest for the American Legion. Not that Jacky is thrilled about that. Every other time she's tried public speaking, she's ended up stuttering so badly she can't even finish. But Mrs. Turner isn't taking "no" for an answer.
Good thing Ms. O'Mara is there to help her with both the play and the speech. Which means everything is going great, right? Wrong. Because not Jacky has a very strong suspicion that her dad is dating Jenny Cornwall - also known as "the prettiest girl at the beach" - and she doesn't know what to do about it. Every time she thinks about including the news in one of her letters to her mom, who is currently in Saudi Arabia serving with other Marines in Operation Desert Shield, she doesn't know what to say. As a result, she ends up making her letters sound like everything is great, when in fact everything is not.
This story was really good. It covered quite a few issues that many pre-teens have to deal with, from stuttering, bullying, and overcoming fears, to learning from our mistakes, taking responsibility, and dealing with death. I also really enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek writing and the clever illustrations that were used to tell the story. There were so many places I ended up laughing out loud with the story that I am looking forward to reading the next story of Jacky's life: Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life is a Joke. I expect it will be as funny and heartwarming as this one was.