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I Funny

A Middle School Story

Contributors

By James Patterson

By Chris Grabenstein

Illustrated by Laura Park

Formats and Prices

Price

$8.99

Price

$11.99 CAD

#1 bestselling author James Patterson doles out the laughs in the first book in the hit series! Middle-schooler Jamie Grimm faces bullies and self-doubt as he chases his dream of becoming the world’s greatest comedian.

Jamie Grimm is a middle schooler on a mission: he wants to become the world's greatest standup comedian–even if he doesn't have a lot to laugh about these days. He's new in town and stuck living with his aunt, uncle, and their evil son Stevie, a bully who doesn't let Jamie's wheelchair stop him from messing with Jamie as much as possible. But Jamie doesn't let his situation get him down. When his Uncle Frankie mentions a contest called The Planet's Funniest Kid Comic, Jamie knows he has to enter. But are the judges only rewarding him out of pity because of his wheelchair, like Stevie suggests? Will Jamie ever share the secret of his troubled past instead of hiding behind his comedy act?

Prepare to laugh and cheer along with Jamie in this highly-illustrated, heartfelt middle school story.

Buy this if you're looking for:
★ an uplifting, empowering book to get kids more interested in reading
★ a kid-favorite gift for birthdays or holidays
★ a fresh illustrated read for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and graphic novels

Series:

  • Praise for I Funny:A #1 New York Times bestseller
    A 2014 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Nominee
    A 2014 Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Winner

    "....Poignant.... Readers learn about [Jamie's] devastating loss and recovery from a tragic event....The affecting ending, which reveals a more vulnerable Jamie behind the guise of his humor, celebrates Jamie's resilient spirit."
    Kirkus Reviews
  • "The broad humor that runs throughout this heavily illustrated story... masks personal pain, demonstrating resiliency in the face of tragedy."
    Publishers Weekly
  • "Play[s] readers' heartstrings like a banjo.... A brimming bucket of bada-bing!"
    Booklist

On Sale
Jan 26, 2015
Page Count
320 pages
ISBN-13
9780316206921

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James Patterson

About the Author

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Effing Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Princess Diana, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson, and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Learn more at jamespatterson.com

Learn more about this author

Laura Park

About the Illustrator

Laura Park is a cartoonist and illustrator. Her work has appeared in the Best American Comics, The Anthology of Graphic Fiction, The Paris Review, and on Saveur.com. Park is also the illustrator for two middle-grade kids’ book series written by James Patterson, Middle School and I Funny. She is a member of the jam comics collective Trubble Club. Park currently lives in Lanas, France.

Learn more about this illustrator