#BookReview: Pretty Funny for a Girl by Rebecca Elliott

Synopsis: A candid and laugh-out-loud journey of family, friends, and fierce mistakes.

Haylah Swinton is an ace best friend, a loving daughter, and an incredibly patient sister to a four-year-old nutcase of a brother. Best of all, she's pretty confident she's mastered making light of every situation--from her mom's new boyfriend to unsolicited remarks on her plus-sized figure. Haylah's learning to embrace all of her curvy parts and, besides, she has a secret: one day, she'll be a stand-up comedian star.

So when impossibly cool and thirstalicious Leo reveals he's also into comedy, Haylah jumps at the chance to ghost-write his sets. But is Leo as interested in returning the favor? Even though her friends warn her of Leo's intentions, Haylah's not ready to listen--and she might just be digging herself deeper toward heartbreak. If Haylah's ever going to step into the spotlight, first she'll need to find the confidence to put herself out there and strut like the boss she really is.

Rebecca Elliott's hilarious and authentic narrative voice is sure to capture readers' hearts as her plus-sized, teenage heroine navigates learning to love the body she's in while dealing with friends, family, and boys.This title will be released on October 1, 2020. 

Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐
My Review: The comedy aspects of this story worked out so well.  However, the use of one girl thinking she's fat when a bunch of people say that she's not was a little meh. The commentary in the book didn't work for it. And just things felt off in this one.  From a nickname to more it just didn't work out.  I wished that if the author wanted to write a story about a fat girl then I wished she would have just done that. Overall, this one with all the different aspects could have been amazing but the way it was set it just didn't. 

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-Teenager Haylah Swinton wants to be a comedian. Not that there's much about her life that's funny: Her single mother works long shifts as a nurse, so Haylah is often the main caregiver for her four-year-old brother Noah. But after she's finished her homework, Haylah will try to find the humor in her life and create comedy routines. She obsessively watches stand-up comics on television for inspiration. She gave herself the nickname "Pig" at the beginning of "big school," as a preemptive strike so her peers wouldn't forever name her "Fatso" or "Chubster." The narrative covers a few months of her life as she comes to terms with her roles as a friend, a daughter, a sister, and as a young woman. She learns that she doesn't have to hide behind her "clumsy" persona and her baggy clothes, that she is an equal to her two best friends, and that even though she's not sure who she really is, finding out can be enjoyable. Elliott, who has previously published picture books and early readers, nails the voice and persona of a high school girl. VERDICT A good purchase for libraries that need coming-of-age books centering body-positivity.-Marlyn Beebe, Long Beach P.L., CAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

“Elliott, who has previously published picture books and early readers, nails the voice and persona of a high school girl…. A good purchase for libraries that need coming-of-age books centering body-positivity.” ―School Library Journal

“Sharp, funny… The working-class British milieu feels freshly wrought, and Elliott’s characters are well balanced… [Haylah’s] comedy routine, though at times self-deprecating, also flips some stereotypes.” ―Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Rebecca Elliott is an author and illustrator. She earned a degree in philosophy and once did a brief stint in a dull office. Now, she enjoys eating angel delight, loudly venting on a drum kit, and spending time in her sunny garden. She lives in England with her family, some chickens, and a cat named Bernard.

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Posted in: 2 Stars, Macmillan, Review, Young Adult