If you like laughing through tears, this may be the book for you. Winnie Friedman is funny, but a couple of years ago she humiliated herself doing stand up comedy at her bat mitzvah. Now in high school, she joins the school's improvisational comedy troupe at the suggestion of a boy who laughs at her jokes. Suddenly Winnie is right where she belongs and even her love life is looking up, but things get complicated when she gets bad news about a family issue. Winnie's parents are well-rounded characters with lives of their own, and Winnie's hijab-wearing best friends also are unique individuals with strong back stories. At it's heart it's a story about family and friends and forgiveness, and how to be good to the people you love. But what I enjoyed the most were the descriptions of improv comedy games and the play-by-play scenes that these high schoolers create. I don't know of any other YA book that focuses on improv. Actors and aspiring comedians will want to read it, but so will teens who like Jordan Sonnenblick and Julie Buxbaum. Recommended for grades 7-10, and for my college roommate who introduced me to the world of improvisational theatre.
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