Fifteen-year-old comedy novice Haylah Swinton loves her big self, has faith in her standup, and is ecstatic to have her first boyfriend. She kills it at open-mic night d that's when absolutely everything falls apart. Her dad, who unceremoniously left the family, shows up in the audience, leaving Haylah flustered and tongue-tied at the end of her set. Her boyfriend hasn't kissed her yet, leading her to question his motives. Her mother announces that her boyfriend is moving in, and Haylah's best friends admit they won't be joining her at school next term. For Haylah, there's only one thing to do: express her aggravation to her YouTube fans. When her frustration-fueled material goes viral and her family and friends discover they're the targets of Haylah's comedic anger, the teen learns hard lessons about boundaries and herself. This companion to Pretty Funny for a Girl (2020) is as hilarious and heartrending as expected. Haylah's rants teach her that comedy at the expense of others isn't funny and listening is as important as speaking.

Haylah furthers her comedy career and deals with romantic and familial entanglements.Set a few months after the events of 2020's Pretty Funny for a Girl, this follow-up continues the adventures of newly more confident aspiring stand-up comedian Haylah (who now goes by Hay instead of Pig, the fatphobic nickname she had tried to reclaim and defuse). The 15-year-old English girl has begun to upload snarky comedy bits to YouTube and isn't quite as insecure about her size or looks as she was before. But Hay still faces challenges: She's not sure why her boyfriend, Dylan, spends hours with her but has yet to kiss her; she's got mixed feelings about her divorced mum's increasingly serious partner; and her estranged father makes a surprise appearance at a gig, and the shock of seeing him throws her off stride. Elliott digs deeper into the residual self-doubt that creeps up, even as Hay feels more assured about her worth and talent. There's still deprecating humor, but this time it's more balanced, and the slow-burn romance is thoughtfully (and funnily) described. Hay's relationship with her much-younger brother, Noah, is once again a highlight, and her character growth is evident in how she resolves conflict with her family and best friends. Most characters are cued as White; Dylan is Chinese and implied White.A charming sequel of self-discovery, first love, and forgiveness. (Fiction. 12-18)

Gr 8 Up-In this sequel to 2020's Pretty Funny For a Girl , 15-year-old Haylah Swinton has (mostly) come to terms with her size and developed her own quirky fashion sense. Now that she's done stand-up for real, she considers herself a comedian, but not having many opportunities to perform in public, she's started a YouTube channel. She assumes that she can experiment with her comedy, because she has so few viewers. One evening, after a disagreement with her boyfriend, she records an angry-funny rant on YouTube, called " Boyfriends are Idiots, " which gets a lot more views than the earlier videos. She decides that her comedy persona needs to be sassier and ruder, so she starts a series she calls "_____ are Idiots." Releasing her anger is cathartic, and besides, nobody she knows is watching. But of course, the word does get out, and Haylah belatedly discovers that everything on the internet is public. As a result. Haylah, as well as those close to her, are reminded of the importance of honesty and openness, with oneself as well as others. Once again, Elliott skillfully captures the unique voice of a teenage girl who is still discovering herself and how to communicate. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries that need coming-of-age books about body positivity and individuality, and libraries where the first book was popular. Marlyn Beebe, Long Beach P.L., CA