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The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh
Book Review
recommended to people who like to laugh and learn while entering the magical world of reading
The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh is an amazing book by Helen Rutter – who I think is an excellent author.
I loved this book because it was funny and made me laugh, but it was also something that you could learn from and really teaches people a lesson. I was very surprised at some of the choices that the main character Billy Plimpton makes, but in the end it all worked out for him.
Billy has a stammer and when he starts Bannerdale High he has a plan to conceal it. However, his plan doesn’t work out and his school life with a stammer plummets downwards. Billy has to face many challenges and problems before he can reveal that he actually is more than a boy with a stammer.
I think that the main idea of the story is that you must face your fears and follow your heart. It was a smooth read and I really liked it. People who have read Wonder might enjoy this book as it was about someone starting a new school and finding out about themselves and about kindness being the winner.
I would recommend this book to readers from late primary to early secondary but specifically people who like to laugh and learn while entering the magical world of reading.
About the Book
This is a debut novel by Helen Rutter is set in the real world. The main character Billy Plimpton is a new boy starting Year 7 at ‘big school’. As even the most confident child knows this is still a daunting experience, but Billy Plimpton is terribly anxious as he has a stammer. His attempts to avoid his stammer being revealed are both sad and funny at the same time.
As readers would expect at his new school Billy meets nice people, and and does make some new friends, but there are also some unkind people who tease him. This is a funny book, but also one that most children will be able to relate to. You really admire Billy’s courage and want everything to work out well for him.
Hopefully this book will help people to realise that sometimes it is our differences that make us special and that having the courage to accept ourselves as individuals can be inspiring to others.
Author
Helen Rutter
Helen Rutter is a British children’s author known for her warm, humorous novels for readers aged roughly 8–12, including The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh and Me and My Brian. She lives in the countryside near Sheffield and her early career included acting and stand-up comedy, which helped inspire her writing. Her books have been widely published and recognised for their empathy, humour, and approach to real childhood experiences.
Reviewer Profile
Kirsten, 10
- Reviews: 10
- Likes: Reading, music, theatre
- Dislikes: cream (on its own) and sprouts
- Favourite Book: How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
- Favourite Film: Hunt for the Wilderpeople
- Favourite Song: The Diner by Billie Eilish
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