About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is starting to navigate the complex balance between personal ambition and the responsibilities of being a good friend and family member. It is an ideal choice for middle-grade readers who use humor as a defense mechanism or those who are processing what it means to live with a physical disability. The story follows Jamie Grimm, a talented young comedian and wheelchair user, as he competes in a national stand-up contest while simultaneously managing his best friend's school troubles and a sudden health crisis in his family. While the book is packed with jokes and over 175 illustrations that make it highly accessible for reluctant readers, it also carries significant emotional weight. It explores themes of loyalty, resilience, and the realization that winning isn't always the ultimate goal. Parents will appreciate how it humanizes the experience of disability without making it the sole focus of Jamie's identity, instead emphasizing his wit, his creative drive, and his deep capacity for empathy.
