Confessions of a Class Clown

This middle-school class clown’s hilarious online videos might get thousands of views . . . but is fame worth the price of friendship? A heartfelt story with multiple perspectives about the challenges of social media.

Meet Jack Reynolds. Making people laugh is his life’s work. Jack’s wacky MyTube channel is really starting to take off. The only problem is, for the truly epic posts, he needs a collaborator. And, well, he doesn’t exactly have any friends. So Jack has to swallow his pride and join the new afterschool club, Speed Friendshipping. But who would make the best partner in comedy?

Brielle, Miss Perfect candidate for student body president?

Mario, whose mom won’t even let him have a smart phone?

Or Tasha, the quiet, mysterious girl with a shaved head and a crocheted hat for every day of the week?

One of these kids could help catapult Jack to internet fame . . . or even become a true friend. But what will it cost him to go viral?

This middle school novel explores themes of friendship, belonging, and the ways social media can put pressure on today’s kids.

ARIANNE COSTNER is the author of My Life As a Potato. She’s a part-time pianist and full-time mom who enjoys writing stories after the kids go to bed. Much of her inspiration comes from her time teaching middle school English to fun and very lively students. She has lived in Arizona, Utah, California, and Chile, but calls Arizona home. She writes for kids who love reading and for those who usually don’t. If she can get you to laugh, she calls it a win. Visit her at ariannecostner.com and follow her on Twitter at @ariannecostner and on Instagram @authorariannecoster.