Life used to be normal for Happyface. Sure his parents fought sometimes, and his older brother was away at college and his best friend Chloe was always just his friend. But that's normal, right? Then the world changed, and he doesn't want to talk about it.
Now he lives in an apartment with his mom. At a new school where no one knows what happened, Happyface is ready to to move past "the event". He chooses to be the happy guy, always smiling and cheerful. This is how he gets the nickname Happyface, and his happy demeanor gives little away to his life before the new school. This time, he has friends and a social life, and with his mom is working all the time, he is free to do what he wants.
Of course, there is a new girl, Gretchen, he is drawn to her after seeing her on the bus and approaches her in school the next day. The two become fast friends, and Happyface finds that Gretchen might be hiding something too.
Happyface is a novel told in diary format spruced up with cartoons, e-mails and other doodles from Happyface. It is not a happy story so to speak, but an honest look at one high school students life after a life changing event. Happyface slowly leaks the details of what happened way back in August, and the story moves quickly.
You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll wish you could draw half as good as Happyface does. Grown up fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid will find a lot to like here, as well as those of you who like fast paced realistic fiction and illustrations.
I'll see you @ the library!
Katie (Now reading The Blind Side. I loved the movie so I couldn't resist!)