Pretty Funny for a Girl

by Rebecca Elliott

Overview

Fourteen-year-old Haylah dreams of being a stand-up star, but when her friends thrust her into the spotlight, she's not confident a plus-sized girl like her belongs onstage.

Haylah Swinton is pretty confident she's mastered making light of every situation―from her mom's ugh boyfriend to classmates making unsolicited remarks on her figure. She logs all her best jokes in the hopes of one day busting out a fabulous set that will keep everybody laughing with her and not at her.

After botching an open mic night, Haylah learns that her longtime crush, the impossibly cool Leo, is also into comedy. And when Leo provides her an opportunity to live vicariously by ghostwriting his sets for an upcoming festival, Haylah jumps at the chance. What a great way to get her material out there without totally bombing herself!

But are Leo's intentions in Haylah's best interests? Despite warnings from her friends, Haylah's not ready to listen―and she might just be digging herself deeper toward heartbreak. If Haylah's ever going to take center stage, first she'll need to find the confidence to put herself out there and strut like the comedy queen she truly is.

This contemporary YA rom-com stars a strong, memorable heroine and features a story full of heart, humor, and relatable themes of body image, dreams, and self-esteem.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682631478
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.30(d)
Lexile:	820L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 16 Years

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.

Editorial Reviews

08/10/2020

Fourteen-year-old Haylah, who is fat and white, tells readers early on not to expect a story where “I have an epiphany and become a slim, sexy, health freak who’s into yoga and mung beans.” Instead, Elliott (the Owl Diaries series) gives sharp, funny Haylah multiple slower realizations—about friendship, her single mother and the man she’s been dating, and, most importantly, about pursuing her dream of doing stand-up. Haylah’s a comedy nerd: she watches it obsessively and keeps a notebook of material, so when it turns out that handsome, popular Leo, who is Black, also does stand-up, she can’t resist slipping him some of her jokes. And when he likes them, how could she not develop a massive crush on him? The working-class British milieu feels freshly wrought, and Elliott’s characters are well balanced: Leo’s a bit of a user but not a heel, Haylah’s conventionally pretty friends have their own insecurities, and her relationship with her four-year-old brother is lovingly depicted. Her comedy routine, though at times self-deprecating, also flips some stereotypes, and by book’s end Haylah has begun taking charge of her present and her future. Ages 12–16. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"A feel-good story featuring a narrator who's likable and genuinely funny, even at her most self-deprecating. Dreams, being true to oneself, body-image issues, single parenting, family dynamics, self-confidence, and a realistic depiction of friendship make this a refreshing coming-of-age read full of optimism, dreams, and plenty of stereotype-smashing laughs. A natural pick for Dumplin' (2015) fans." —Booklist

"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

"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

From the Publisher

08/01/2020

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., CA

School Library Journal

2020-07-27
An English teen who struggles with body image dreams of following in the footsteps of famous funny women.

Haylah Swinton isn’t thin, girly, or boy crazy like her best friends, Chloe and Kas, but she is funny and dreams of pursuing a comedy career. When an otherwise forgettable school talent show reveals that cute, popular Leo Jackson is a gifted stand-up, Haylah, who’s called “Pig” at school at her insistence (her response to bullying), is instantly lovestruck. Unable to get up the nerve to talk to Leo, Haylah leaves anonymous jokes in his locker. Leo figures out she’s the secret comedian and asks her to help him write a set for a youth comedy contest in London. Haylah agrees even though her two besties warn her that he’s using her for her talent. The author seems well versed in comedy writing and the sexism women face in that profession. Haylah’s relationships with her mother and 4-year-old brother, Noah, are well developed (she has a sweet and somewhat maternal connection with Noah). Unfortunately, the story suffers from weaknesses in pacing, and Haylah’s overdone self-deprecating humor undermines the central message of size acceptance, which is mentioned a great deal but not fully explored. Without body-positive role models, the resolution is boiled down to a simple makeover and excessive jokes at her own expense. Most characters are cued as White; Kas is a Polish immigrant, and Leo is Black.

This coming-of-age comedy is frothy, if uneven, fun. (Fiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews