Tag: funny

Charlie Franks is A-OK

Charlie’s not like Coco.

So, when everything seems to be going wrong, she’s determined not to be a drama queen. But keeping all her frustrations inside turns out to be a less than perfect plan.

I like how Charlie insists on being herself, and love how she comes to evaluate what’s most important to her. I kind of wish, though, that at some point she’d let somebody close to her know how she was really feeling. At the end of this book, it seems like Charlie is just as likely to keep unpopular opinions to herself as she was at the beginning, and that feels a bit isolating and confining–as if she’s only allowing herself to feel things she’s supposed to feel .


Restraint can be both wise and kind, but repression?

This story raises some interesting questions–a kind of Sense and Sensibility for a modern era.

I’m just not sure Charlie’s central problem (which I saw as her unwillingness to be open with the people around her, even those who clearly loved her) is as resolved as she thinks it is.

Check out my review of the previous book in the series, Love and Muddy Puddles (about Coco) here.

Love and Muddy Puddles

I don’t quite relate to Coco Franks’s quest to be popular, but I totally get what it’s like to have your parents tell you you’re moving away from the life you know, and your feelings about it don’t matter.

Of course, my parents never moved me anywhere quite so remote or primitive. We always (always!) had running water.

I never before realized how lucky I was.

This is a fun book, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I cringe every time Coco makes more trouble for herself, but in my heart, I get it. Sometimes life is grossly unfair and lashing out feels like the only way to get people to pay attention to what you’re feeling. Even if the only person that hurts is yourself.

Link to the book here, if you’re interested: https://smile.amazon.com/Muddy-Puddles-Charlie-Franks-novel-ebook/dp/B00HOCA7D2/

Does My Head Look Big In This?

This is a frequently funny, occasionally poignant story about an Arab-Australian teenager who decides she’s going to start wearing the hijab full-time (including to her private school.)  It dives right into serious issues without making them seem at all heavy (faith, women’s rights, cross-cultural communication, the immigrant experience, getting along in families).  It also touches on lots of lighter teenage experiences.  It was a fun, worthwhile read.

Rejection, Romance & Royalties

This collection of essays about making a living as a fiction writer had me laughing out loud and reading extended sections (when I could get them out without cracking up) to my critique group and long-suffering husband.  Besides being a healthy dose of fun, these  essays were practical and encouraging.  I’m currently borrowing my copy from the library, but I may just get one of my own. Yes, it’s that good.  If you’re a writer, or even if you just need a good laugh, you might want to check this book out.

Every Living Thing

I’m usually more into novels than short stories; more into fantasy, sci-fi, romance and mystery than humor, but this collection was great fun.  The stories were just the right length to read while a child was occupied with a meal or a short computer game, and they kept me laughing when laughs were hard to come by. I appreciated the well-written prose and the immersion in a simpler time as well.

I have a bit more time for reading these days, so I’m back to novels, but I might still seek out another few of James Herriot’s short story collections.