I Totally Funniest

Gr 3–6—Jamie Grimm wants to win the Planet's Funniest Kid Comic Contest more than anything. Since the accident that killed his parents and sister and left him in a wheelchair, Jamie has used comedy to help him cope with life. When he begins to believe he only moved on because of sympathy votes, Jamie's jokes become mean-spirited and he lashes out at his friends. He soon realizes that in order to win the contest, he must be honest with himself and show the world who he really is. Frankie Seratch is believable as the young comic. The humor in his voice and the emotion he uses in the more serious parts of Jamie's story are well done. While this is mainly Jamie's story, there are plenty of interesting characters, including his uncle, a yo-yo champion. Listeners will root for Jamie to win the contest as he demonstrates the importance of believing in yourself and treating others with respect.