Book Review: The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter

 I'm so excited to be bringing you this early review of The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter.

I was very kindly gifted this book by Scholastic in exchange for a review, but I would like to say that all thoughts shared on this book are my own and have not been influenced in any way. I will always be honest in my reviews.

So, read on to find out what I thought of The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh...

First, here is the synopsis:

Billy Plimpton is an eleven-year-old boy with a big dream. He wants to be a stand-up comedian when he grows up: delivering pinpoint punch-lines and having audiences hang on his every hilarious word. A tough career for anyone, but surely impossible for Billy, who has a stammer.

In the meantime, he's starting senior school and has concocted a cunning plan for survival: stay silent and under the radar until his stammer is cured, then miraculously become the most popular boy in class and win the end-of-term talent show. EASY.

But can Billy avoid being exposed by the cruel school bully? Can kind teacher Mr Osho help him realise that it's possible to stand out and fit in? Will his beloved grandma get her wish to see him telling jokes on stage?

How will he find his voice, if his voice won't let him speak?

I want to start by sharing that this is Helen Rutter's debut novel and it is inspired by the son, Lenny, who has a stammer. She wrote this book hoping that he and other children who could relate to the character of Billy Plimpton would enjoy reading about someone like themselves. Representation is so important in books and it is becoming more talked about with every book release. This is the first book I have ever read with a character who has a stammer (to my knowledge, but certainly not as the main character!)

This book really does pack a punch. It had me laughing and smiling, plus it had some beautifully-written sentimental moments. The character of Billy Plimpton was so captivating and you are rooting for him from the very first page. We learn from the very beginning how much Billy loves jokes, but with the dialogue showing how his stammer impacts him, he questions his ability to be funny when he can't even speak. These first few pages have you wanting him to succeed in his dream from the very beginning. 

I also love how every chapter starts with a joke or a great one-liner. When I get around to sharing this book with the children at school, I think they will look forward to hearing a little joke at the start of every chapter.

The writing is captivating and moreish, making it hard to put down. I just kept wanting to read the next chapter to see how Billy was getting on. Helen Rutter has also created some incredible characters. A personal favourite of mine - other than Billy, of course - was the teacher Mr Osho. Working in a school, I loved to see a supportive teacher who wanted to help and did it in a calm way that didn't force Billy to go from nought to one hundred straight away. I also loved Granny Bread. She was so supportive and wanted Billy to know that he could achieve his dream if he kept believing and kept trying.

Overall, I loved this book. It was fun and heart-warming. I think Jacqueline Wilson's quote of "Very funny, very touching, very truthful - a total delight to read" and Noel Fielding's one-word summary of "Amazing" sum up this book in a nutshell. I will definitely be recommending it and I can't wait to add this to this list of books I want to share with the children in my class.

If you're interested in purchasing this book, you can buy it here ahead of its release in February 2021.