Pretty Rude for a Girl

Gr 8 Up–In this sequel to 2020’s Pretty Funny For a Girl, 15-year-old Haylah Swinton has (mostly) come to terms with her size and developed her own quirky fashion sense. Now that she’s done stand-up for real, she considers herself a comedian, but not having many opportunities to perform in public, she’s started a YouTube channel. She assumes that she can experiment with her comedy, because she has so few viewers. One evening, after a disagreement with her boyfriend, she records an angry-funny rant on YouTube, called “Boyfriends are Idiots,” which gets a lot more views than the earlier videos. She decides that her comedy persona needs to be sassier and ruder, so she starts a series she calls “_____ are Idiots.” Releasing her anger is cathartic, and besides, nobody she knows is watching. But of course, the word does get out, and Haylah belatedly discovers that everything on the internet is public. As a result. Haylah, as well as those close to her, are reminded of the importance of honesty and openness, with oneself as well as others. Once again, Elliott skillfully captures the unique voice of a teenage girl who is still discovering herself and how to communicate.