All Three Stooges

SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD HONOREE FOR OLDER READERS! WINNER OF THE NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE! An unforgettable coming-of-age story about comedy, loss, and friendship for fans of Jennifer L. Holm and Gary D. Schmidt. Spoiler alert: This book is not about the Three Stooges. It's about Noah and Dash, two seventh graders who are best friends and comedy junkies. That is, they were best friends, until Dash's father died suddenly and Dash shut Noah out. Which Noah deserved, according to Noa, the girl who, annoyingly, shares both his name and his bar mitzvah day. Now Noah's confusion, frustration, and determination to get through to Dash are threatening to destroy more than just their friendship. But what choice does he have? As Noah sees it, sometimes you need to risk losing everything, even your sense of humor, to prove that gone doesn't have to mean gone for good. Equal parts funny, honest, and deeply affecting, All Three Stooges is a book that will stay with readers long after the laughter subsides. Perl has created a moving coming-of-age journey steeped in Jewish traditions and comedic history, elegantly balancing humor with an honest look at the impact of suicide. Noah's genuine voice and tricky situation will have readers pulling for him.--Publishers Weekly This novel is excellent on multiple fronts. A satisfying story that will appeal to all middle grade readers.--SLJ Watching Noah repeatedly sliding on a banana peel (even, once, literally) gives readers plenty of occasions to wince, to chortle, and ultimately, to applaud.--Booklist A welcome portrayal of a very difficult situation's impact on someone not ready to deal with it-and there are plenty of funny moments to make it all easier to take.--Horn Book