Confessions of a Class Clown

**STARRED School Library Journal Review: “An absolute must-purchase for all middle school libraries.” Jack’s hilarious online videos might get thousands of views . . . but is fame worth the price of friendship? Now in paperback, the humor of I Funny meets the multiple perspectives of Restart. Meet Jack Reynolds. Making people laugh is his life’s work. Jack’s wacky MyTube channel is really starting to take off. The only problem is, for the truly epic posts, he needs a collaborator. And, well, he doesn’t exactly have any friends. So Jack has to swallow his pride and join the new after-school Speed Friendshipping club. But who would make the best partner in comedy? Brielle, Miss Perfect candidate for student body president? Mario, whose mom won’t even let him have a smart phone? Or Tasha, the quiet, mysterious girl with a shaved head and a crocheted hat for every day of the week? One of these kids could help catapult Jack to internet fame . . . or even become a true friend. But what will it cost him to go viral? With an unfailing knack for the middle-grade voice, Arianne Costner, author of My Life as a Potato, explores themes of friendship, belonging, and the ways social media can put pressure on today’s kids. PRAISE FOR CONFESSIONS OF A CLASS CLOWN: “No one in our house has been able to put this book down. My son is laughing out loud. My daughter is grabbing it and reading chapters before bed time. My hubby is coming upstairs to listen when I read aloud. This book is leading to fun but also meaningful discussions about friendships, about screens, about privacy that I love.” -Amazon reviewer “My family and I enjoyed this book and others from this author. Always fun and family friendly with a good message.” –Goodreads reviewer **An Amazon Best Book of the month **A 2023 Whitney Awards finalist **A 2024 Nene Award nominee **A 2024 Volunteer State Book Award Nominee