Jacky Ha-Ha

Jacky Ha-Ha #1

by James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein, Kerascoët (Illustrator)

In this #1 New York Times  bestselling novel, get to know Jacky Ha-Ha, a funny class clown who loves to make people laugh—even when everything else in her life feels anything but silly.

With her irresistible urge to tell a joke in every situation—even when she really, really shouldn't—twelve-year-old Jacky Ha-Ha loves to make people laugh. And cracking wise helps distract her from thinking about not-so-funny things in her life, like her mom serving in a dangerous, faraway war, and a dad who's hardly ever home.

But no matter how much fun Jacky has, she can't seem to escape her worries. So one starlit night, she makes a promise to keep her family together...even if she has to give up the one thing that makes her happy. But can she stop being Jacky Ha-Ha, if that's who she really is?

Don't miss Jacky Ha-Ha's other hilarious   Jacky My Life is a Joke  and  Jacky Ha-Ha Gets the Last Laugh !   

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Family

384 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2016

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Suzanne the Bookaholic and Proud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, even though this book is for kids/teens, I enjoy reading them myself, sometimes better than reading grown up stuff,
Jacky ha-ha is just brilliant, we have all been there as kids, trying to impress other people and friends and family, trying to crack jokes at the teachers and then getting told off for it, but it made other people smile and everybody knew your name, even if it was a nickname,
Jimmy Patterson books are just right for kids even though it might give them more ideas, like trying to climb a Ferris wheel in the middle of the night, even just to make a vow (don't try that at home kids).
keep up the good work Jimmy hope to read more and get my kids to read more too thanks to these books.

[Angelica]

I liked this book because it has some very interesting adventures about a girl around my age. This story line shows a lot of variation in this girl's life. The story never gets boring, and always has something new and very unique. The story of a class clown who tries to be serious has many twists, but ends up with a happy resolution. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fiction and comedy. I really liked this book and I think a lot of other people will too. This author is very talented and I enjoy his literature. I recommend all his other books too.

[Azriel Najeh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 , that was fun and quick read .

[pride :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing.If you someone looking for a joke book or something to laugh about,the best thing to read is probably Jacky Ha-Ha.This story tells about a 12 year-old girl named Jacqueline (Jacky for short) being a prankster.She's always trying to be happy,even though her Mom is serving out in the war or that her Dad's hardly ever home,leaving her and her 6 sisters alone a lot.And then,there's times when you just get embarrassed.So,in conclusion,if you want to ready something funny or something to laugh about,Jacky Ha-Ha is perfect for you!(P.S.,there's a book club for Jacky Ha-Ha too!)

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg I love this book it is so amazing and cute I also got it in Arizona which is totally my favorite state

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son and I read this one to prepare for a crossover bok in one of James Patterson's series. We had a hard time getting into this book.

[Alan]

This book is set in the 1990's in the point of view of a young teen girl named Jacky Hart. Jacky lives at home with her sisters and her dad who works as a lifeguard. Her mother is away in Saudi Arabia defending america. Jacky has been the class clown since she was in kindergarten. She had a stutter so when she would say her name it sometimes came out as Jacky-ha-ha-hart. This is why kids call her Jacky-Ha-Ha. As she gets older, her clowning around gets in the way of her schoolwork. She starts to cause trouble and earn detentions. When her father is mad at her, she realizes she needs to change her actions in school. When she start to rack up more detentions, her principal tells her if she auditions for the play and gets in, each play practice will equal one less detention. She tries out and gets in. She starts going to play practices. This helps her have less detentions. At home, she has realized her dad has been coming home late. She is suspicious because her dad is hanging out with a female lifeguard a lot. Later, her principal tells her that she should do the Oral Speech Competition at her school. Jacky is worried about this because of her stutter. When the play comes up she nails her performance and is excited. Then the speech competition happens. Her mom even comes home to see her perform. She wins the competition. Afterwards, she talk to her mom about her dad and the other lifeguard. Her mom tells her that the lifeguard was training him as a cop and that she and the lifeguard were good friends and that's why her dad has been coming home so late. I liked this book a lot as it relates to the struggles of a young teen as they have to deal with school and their home life.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humor abounds in this book, which allows readers to get to know Jacky, a character originally introduced in Patterson's I, Funny books. The book starts with us meeting Jacky as an adult and riding in a limousine to the Oscars, where she is up for a best actress award. She is writing the story to share with her daughters how she found herself in the entertainment and humor business. The story brings readers back to her middle school years.

At that time, she was an average, bright tween, though she seemed to have a problem with getting trouble. This was largely true with the fact that she had never mastered the skill of biting her tongue. She had an interesting sarcasm and unique wit that would often make her speak out in class, often offending the teacher. This leaders her to quickly pile on a number of detentions in the first week of school.

The principal makes an arrangement with her. She can skip the detentions if she will work off the time in the drama club, which will be presenting You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The drama teacher thinks Jacky would be perfect for the role of Snoopy. Jacky is not sure about that because she also suffers from a pretty intense stutter. With all of that, Jacky can't help but take advantage of the opportunity to get her slate clean.

While she is working hard on the play, she is also dealing with being one of seven girls ranging from college-aged down. Fortunately, the sisters all seem to get along, though they are having to face the challenge of the fact that their mom is serving over in Iraq for the first Gulf War. Their father, who is the head lifeguard at the local beach, loves them, but he is also busy at work ... or is he? How busy could he be at the beach once the school year starts? And why is he always hanging out with that pretty lifeguard???

This was a fun read, and it really is a nice read-alike for the fans of the middle school level books being co-written by Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, which now seem to be being labeled as Jimmy books. I did find it interesting because the illustrations were a bid different than those used for all of the other books in the imprint. It is definitely a fun and quick read.

[Caleb Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson has done it again with another outstanding book! I absolutely loved the book. It was all about Jacky telling her two daughters about her best year of middle school and overcoming obstacles like, her speech disorder, fear to be a public speaker/actor, school troubles, and a possible parent separation problem?! All with a side of hilarious descriptions and illustration.

I enjoyed the book but there were some problems in my opinion. For example,there was a lot of drama for a book mainly shown as a comedy.Like some parts made me really made me depressed.I came her to laugh not cry.I would be okay with it if it specified it would have drama. But other than that it was really good.

The main characters are Jacky her friends,family, and her "friend" Ben. I enjoy the friends and family's sass,but I feel for a book mainly made to make you laugh there should be no love relationship. When I found out that Ben and Jacky are married I was like okay I don't really care i came here to laugh not see a relationship progress.But other than that the characters were pretty good.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a love for drama, comedy, and some peanuts scenes! I would recommend it to those types of people because the book perfectly mixes drama so its not too sad, and comedy so its not too fake,making a perfect blend throughout the whole book! All in all I really enjoyed the book and hope for a sequel to this amazing book,and thank James Patterson once again for another great book!

[Terri Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this children's book by James Patterson. Set in the early 1990's, Jacky is a girl in a family of 7 girls ranging in age from age 5 to 19. Their mother is a marine in Saudi Arabia involved in the war and their dad is a New Jersey lifeguard. He is never home so the girls have to look after each other.The oldest one is in college. Jacky is angry that dad is always out all night cruising around in a convertible with the beautiful female lifeguard he works with plus she is getting in trouble at school. Lots of questions came up. How dare dad have an affair with a sexy lifeguard while mom is overseas? How did a woman mom's age manage to get in the Marines? Why is dad doing the work usually reserved for teen boys while his wife is in the marines in a war? Why would people in the 1980's and 1990's have 7 kids they can't afford and why did the dad hang on to a teenage boy's job while breeding 7 kids? And- can Jacky, who stutters, get her act together and star in a play and in a speaking competition while staying out of detention?

Special kudos for the loving way the end of the life of the grandmother was portrayed- this was just beautiful. I liked Jacky and her sisters- really nice girls- and the teachers who encouraged her.

[Rachel Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacky-Ha-Ha Book Review Jacky-Ha-Ha is the story of a funny, sarcastic young girl trying to get through middle school. It's a book that is sure to make children laugh out loud but at the same time feel for what the character is going through. 
 
Jacky has a stutter but she hides it by being the class clown. When she gets one to many detentions for her jokes she is being forced to take part in the school Charlie Brown play. With her mom in the army and her dad never and being one of six sisters Jacky can't help but feel that her life sucks and that no one cares about her. 
 
This is very cute. I loved how snarky Jacky is and the pictures throughout. I do think it could have been trimmed down a bit as it feels a bit repetitive in the end. I also enjoyed how its set in the 90's and makes some good jokes about the lack of technology that children are going to enjoy. 
 
Overall it relays a really good message to children. Reader's who enjoy Big Nate, Dork Diaries, I funny and Diary of a Whimpy Kid are sure to enjoy Jacky-Ha-Ha. 

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has potential, but there are just a few issues I can't look past:
1. Jacky Ha-Ha is neither funny nor does she act like a seventh grader. These are two things she supposedly is so you can see how this is problematic.
2. One of Jacky's six sisters is described as being "pleasantly plump" and the majority of her dialogue is food-related. Even in serious moments, her main concern is when her next snack is. Coming from two male authors, I find this ridiculous and completely unnecessary.
3. The story is written as a story that grown-up Jacky is telling her two daughters. It added nothing of value and just periodically confused me as Jacky broke dialogue to speak "directly" to the girls.
All that aside, there were some redeeming qualities that would perhaps make this book recommendable to elementary aged readers. There were some really positive teacher role models and Jacky's mom was a Marine serving overseas, which allowed for some conversation and moments of value. Overall, I think Patterson and Grabenstein really missed their mark, but I'm sure this book will find its place because of who they are and the success of their other collaborations.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was breathtaking. It talks about a girl with speaking problems and who loved making jokes to how she became a successful comedian. It talks about her life with her five sibling and a mysterious dad. It felt like Jacky was talking at me the whole time! It was funny and enjoyable to read. From telling jokes to her grandmother to Jacky climbing a ferris wheel, nothing is funnier than reading this real life story! Jacky loved every one of her siblings. She even missed school and instead went to her big sister's university to see if she was not failing school! She always puts her family first, then herself. That's part of the reason why half of her after-school time is detention (The other part was the jokes). But then Jacky found herself in an auditorium, practicing for her part instead of sitting in the detention room with the bullies. How did she manage to conquer her shuttering problem? Well, it was her two teachers , Ms. O'Mara and Mrs. Turner. Especially Ms. O'Mara. She had helped Jacky through tough times such as when her beloved grandmother died.
In conclusion, I think that this fabulous story was just........spectacular.

[B.J. Burgess · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the cover alone, I thought maybe Jacky Ha-Ha would be similar to Mr. Patterson's Middle School series, but this title is the complete opposite. Yes, this story is centered on a young character and there are several jokes tossed about, but it's more of a coming-of-age story about a middle-child adjusting to life without her mother (Don't worry the mother isn't dead!), while at the same time she is trying to find her true self.


Overall, Jacky Ha-Ha is a cleverly written book that should easily appeal to younger readers (and a few older ones). The main character is likeable. The chapters are short, which keeps you turning to next page to find out what happens next. And the illustrations by Kerascoet are beautifully done.

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Grabenstein has done it again! This fun novel, with its likable 12-year-old class clown of a heroine, is an entertaining read for both kids and adults. Co-written with James Patterson, this book, set in 1990, is a page-turner, with great characters, an excellent plot, and plenty of humor. I loved the portrayal of Jacky's family (she has six sisters, a mother serving with the Marines in the Gulf War, a father who works as a lifeguard, and a dog named Sandfleas). I also especially enjoyed reading about the middle-school production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, in which Jacky plays Snoopy. And there are lots of delightful illustrations. A good, lighthearted story for all ages.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacky ha ha always has to tell a joke, even when something is the opposite of funny. She promises to keep her family safe, but does this mean having to be serious?... I absolutely loved this book and found it really funny. There were pictures but it is still a quite long book. I would recommend it to ages 10+.I think anyone who likes James Patterson would love this book.

[Noke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unbelievable, this book could get some tears from my eyes. By the cover, I thought Jacky Ha-Ha was just the joking book but it is not. This book isn't just a funny book, cracking jokes or ridiculous story, but it was a nice story about the relationship of the family and the story of a girl’s brave who does not give up, but she tries to do and do it till succeeding.

[What the Fluff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very nice book. Even though I am a little too old by a few years to actually have read this (even though I did), it is still inspiring to me and unlike any other James Patterson's "Jimmy" book he has ever written. It is most similar to Patterson's series, I Funny.

[Rachel !]

Was good, cute and funny but had a very meaningful theme.

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, Heartfelt, Realistic, Touching & Inspiring! A Great Read! I Loved It!

[Millie Hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is amazing I couldn't stop reading

[Eddie Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a great book, really funny, but also sad.

[fyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

may 2nd 2021: reread number 27 at this point? this is my comfort book so

[Trevor Abbott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would’ve hated Jacky in middle school
Illustrations were cute
Weirdly religious?

[Clara Levi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very haha & littered with icks.

[Elizabeth Flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I read this week was Jacky Ha-Ha by James Patterson. Jacky Ha Ha is an outstanding and extraordinarily novel that James Patterson wrote. Jacky Hart is a 12-year-old girl who lives at the Jersey shore. In this book Jacky is the queen of laughter. She got the nickname Jacky Ha Ha from the people in her class when she was little and the kids were laughing at her, now she is trying to get people to laugh with her but not at her. I think that the writing in this book is very funny and humorous. Also I think this book is a perfect book for young readers. The type of people that would like this book or people that like funny characters and humor. I recommend Jacky Ha Ha to all of the middle schoolers and high schooler's all around the world.

[Jennifer Hafey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh. Middle school is tough. The Jimmy Patterson book "Jacky Ha-Ha" is about a 12 year old girl named Jacky. She has a stutter and has worked hard to be the class clown. It is better to have everybody laugh "with" you than "at" you, right? Her mother is a Marine and away at war. Her father is never home. Jacky spends the entire book trying to laugh away her problems even when she has to step outside of her comfort-zone and when she is crying herself to sleep at night.

Coming from a military family myself I could totally relate to a lot of the feelings that Jacky was having. I laughed and cried with her throughout the story. I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and took me back to my own time in middle school in the 90's. As a reader I felt the ending was a little anticlimactic but as a mother of young readers I am glad that the book ended the way that it did. Any other ending would not have been good for the books intended young audience.

I think that this book is great for readers grades 3-7. I also think it would make a great read-aloud book for moms to share with their daughters. I look forward to adding more Jimmy Patterson titles to my daughters' bookshelves.

I received a free advance reading copy of this book as part of a free Party Pack from HouseParty.com.

[faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

88%

this book was so, so, so much better than I expected! I went through all the emotions: I laughed, cried, laughed again, and cried AGAIN. it had the perfect balance of funny/happy moments and heart-breaking ones. it talks about family, trust, friendship, and the importance of being yourself while also being incredibly ridiculous (but in a good way ha-ha). woah unintentional bad pun alert!!

I loved seeing Jacky grow as a character! the book went by REALLY quickly, but somehow her character arc was just right. it was cool how we got to see her be more confident in herself and use her talent for something really great. I also really liked seeing her interact with all of her sisters. they all have such a cute relationship together!! (that whole weekend when Sydney was home was so heart-warming AWWW)

[Mere · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last adult book by Patterson I read, I didn't like. I read Maximum Ride years ago...and didn't like that either.

Then, why did I decide to read this book? A glutton for punishment I assumed. I went into this with no expectations at all. None. Zip. Zero. I thought I was going to get ten pages in and be "I'm DONE".

But no! I was pleasantly surprised. I liked this book! I was amused by it! And was rooting for Jacky the whole way. But Jacky has a great voice, and she feels like she could actually pop into our world.

I am thrilled with this book as a whole, and it is one that middle graders should adore. It's got humor abounds, it's got "lessons" and general hilarity.

Okay, I know, you get it, but it IS funny.

And delightfully precious all at the same time.

I will be picking up the second book as soon as I can!

[Robin K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the two books in this series in reverse order, and I have to say the first was much better than the second. The main character, Jacky, took on interesting problems in her life, and she showed resilience in doing so. The storyline clearly reflected a 12-year-old mindset and demonstrated that the girl had things to learn about life, albeit the narrator is looking back at her 12-year-old self with some level of maturity and an eye towards drawing lessons for her own children from her experiences. One drawback is that each of Jacky's six sisters all neatly fit into stereotypes, which is disappointing. Also a lot of the "jokes" are just mean, but overall I would recommend this first book to young or young-at-heart readers.