My Life as a Joke by Janet Tashjian

Pages: 252
Intended Audience: Tweens
Genre: Real life
Notes for Parents: There is nothing for parents to be concerned about.

The Back Cover

[There was no description on the back cover. The following description is modified from Goodreads.com.]
Derek Fallon discovers all the angst that comes with being twelve—he just wants to feel grown up, but life gets in the way with a series of mishaps that make him look like a baby. Why isn’t being in middle school as great as Derek imagined? Thankfully, with a little help from his friends—and, ironically, a Toys for Tots fundraiser—things seem like they could start shaping up at last.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the fourth book in the My Life series, but stands on its own quite well. The illustrator is the author’s son, Jake.

What’s good?

It’s difficult not to like Derek, the main character, in this engaging and witty story of a middle school boy. Great characterization and a genuine young male voice make the story easy to read and every entertaining. The plot is simple and moves at a good pace, telling an effortless tale with a great message. I like the level of parental involvement. Most stories tend to ignore the parents or vilify them.
Best Part: Some of the illustrations in the margins crack me up!

What isn’t good?

Derek’s string of bad luck gets a little hard to believe for a time, but I like the way it all worked out.
Worst part: None.

Recommendation þþþþo

Charming, funny, and super easy-to-read. Everyone from reluctant readers to people just looking for a quick story should enjoy this. Highly recommended.

Tashjian, Janet. My Life as a Joke. New York: Christy Ottaviano Books, 2014.