A New Heroine for Young Readers

Although she seems fearless, Jacky’s tart tongue and daring, even reckless behavior hides the fact that she harbors a lot of insecurities and fears. Her mother, a staff sergeant in the Marine Corps, is stationed in Saudi Arabia (the novel takes place in the lead-up to the first Gulf War), and Jacky misses her and worries for her safety. In the meantime, she is concerned that her father, a gruff lifeguard, has been spending an awful lot of time with a certain blonde coworker, who used to be known as the “prettiest girl on the beach.” Then there’s Jacky’s oldest sister, the overachieving Sydney, who made the whole family proud by getting into Princeton—but tells Jacky secretly that she might be flunking out.
Even as she worries about her large, unruly family, Jackie’s own problems are piling up. Her boardwalk stunt gets her in hot water at home, and a sparring match with a math teacher on the first day of school nets her a stack of detentions. But when the assistant principal offers her a deal: try out for the school play, and spend her afternoons rehearsing rather than sitting in detention, it’s not quite the get-out-of-jail-free pass that it might sound like. Jacky has a stutter (her nickname, Jacky Ha-Ha, is one she gave herself as an empowering twist on the way she occasionally stutters her last name), and she is terrified of the idea of speaking in public, let alone singing onstage in a musical.

Bravely taking the plunge and netting the part of Snoopy in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Jacky meets her match in the play’s director, the feisty English teacher Ms. O’Mara (the pair’s goodnatured verbal sparring is a delight), who sees the intelligence and wit behind Jacky’s antics and encourages her to channel her energy and spirit into something positive. Along with Ms. O’Mara, Jacky receives support and reassurance from her best friend, Meredith, and her loving grandmother. But what will resonate most with readers of all ages is Jacky’s courage under pressure, her self-reliance, and the way she digs deep to find the confidence to overcome several substantial setbacks and fears. In the end, Jacky manages not only to bring down the house in her school play, but to give a moving speech for the school’s oratory contest.
Middle school is a time filled with staggering changes and upsets, and many children, especially girls, become plagued by self-doubt, lose their confidence, and retreat inside themselves. While Jacky faces many challenges, never loses her sense of self, her sense of flair, or her sense of humor. She is a worthy and welcome addition to the ranks of Patterson’s other bold, lovable middle school heroes, including Jamie Grimm (the kid comedian of the I Funny series) and Rafe Khatchadorian (the legendary scamp of the Middle School series). Jacky Hart’s rocky but ultimately triumphant story will inspire young readers to believe in themselves, even when it seems like they are the only ones who do.
Jacky Ha-Ha is on bookshelves now.