Just Jake

November 25, 2013
Sixth-grader Jake Mathews is a big believer in his own “awesomeness,” something that gets put to the test when his family moves from Florida to Maryland, sending Jake to the bottom of the social totem pole. Jake’s supremely self-confident narration switches between humorous bluster, observations of sixth-grade life, and sibling give-and-take (Jake’s older sister is a force to be reckoned with). Cut-out photos with captions and doodles, faux crinkled/stained papers, and cartoon illustrations create the sense that readers are peering into Jake’s battered and heavily decorated journal. In this first book from teenage author Marcionette (who began writing it at age 12), Jake applies his “Rules for Awesomeness” to his new home and keeps track of everyone in school with “Kid Cards” (“Think baseball cards, but the team is your school and the players are your teammates”). The narration leans heavily on pop culture references and slang (honey badger, broseph, “slow your roll”) that are unlikely to age well, but Jake’s youthful exuberance shines through and keeps the story speeding ahead. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Dan Lazar, Writers House.

December 15, 2013
Sixth-grader Jake Mathews' popularity has just fallen "off a cliff and [sunk] to the bottom of the ocean." That's what happens when your dad gets a new job and you're forced to change schools in the middle of the year. Despite his frequently asserted "AWESOMENESS," the move from Florida to Maryland is a blow to Jake's seemingly unshakable self-confidence. But despite an older sister with a propensity for going ballistic and an intimidating search for a regular lunch table, Jake is determined to make the steep climb back up the social ladder. This high-concept middle-grade novel appears to be aimed directly at fans of series like Diary of a Wimpy Kid (his new school's Kinney Elementary). Jake's first-person narrative looks and feels like a sixth-grader's real-time memoir, complete with water stains, doodles and examples of Jake's signature Kid Cards. Though Jake's bravado is grating at first, readers will easily relate to his desire to fit in and avoid the social land mines that litter most middle school landscapes. Unfortunately, readers are only given a brief introduction to the band of "Misfit Toys" that Jake ultimately befriends. The novel would have benefited had Jake spent a little less time on his own awesomeness and a little more time letting readers get to know his new posse. It's an eye-catching read without a whole lot of depth. (Fiction. 9-12)

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February 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-Sixth-grader Jake Mathews's popularity has gone from a rank of 10 to a low of three, when he is forced to move from Flordia to Maryland. Jake's "Awesomeness" is put to the test in his new town as he struggles to make friends and fit in; resulting in his previously unshakeable confidence beginning to crumble. Marcionette, a sixth grader himself, creates a humorous character who takes readers on an enjoyable journey as he triumphs over a bully, fights with his explosive older sister, attempts to climb back to the top of the social ladder, and finds a group of friends he calls the "misfit toys." At times, Jake's arrogance can be overwhelming, but readers will see through it and realize it is simply a yearning to be accepted. Just Jake is filled with doodles, cut out photos, rules of Awesomeness, and clever "Kid Cards." Fans of Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" (Abrams) and Rachel Renee Russell's "Dork Diaries"(S & S) will enjoy this title.-Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Sixth grader Jake's family relocates to Maryland, uprooting his hard-earned social status at his old school but not his self-confidence. His comic efforts to make friends and fit in are off-set by his astute observations of the people around him; the caricatures he meets are predictable yet amusing. Mixed-media illustrations and photographs are annotated by Jake. Another journal-novel for fans of the format.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)