Ain't It Funny
Maya’s life has been anything but funny since her dad left. Luckily, she’s picked up plenty of his hilarious comedy skills. It’s all part of her master plan to bring her parents back together again.
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What the Book is About
Jewish Content and Values
Content Advisory
What the Book is About
Sixth-grader Maya Greenspan often feels anxious and worried–feelings that have grown now that her parents have decided to separate and her dad, a stand-up comic, has moved out. Will those emotions disappear if her parents reunite? Maybe if she performs a comedy routine at the class talent show her dad (loving but sometimes undependable) will rehearse with her, and her mom will be impressed by his responsible show of devotion. In the meantime, Maya’s fear of germs and her need for things to be a certain way make school and working at her family’s Russian deli increasingly difficult. She tries confiding in her mom and grandmother, but both brush off her mental health concerns as no big deal. When her teacher has a panic attack in public, a group of poorly informed parents try (unsuccessfully) to get her fired. Luckily, when Maya herself has a panic attack she finally gets the help she needs–and realizes that she and her parents will always be a family, no matter what. Maya’s anxiety is accurately portrayed and is nicely balanced by the book’s many humorous moments.
Jewish Content and Values
- Maya’s family are Russian Jews. Maya’s grandmother says that her mother had to hide being Jewish in Russia.
- For Hanukkah, Maya and her family make sufganiyot, special jelly-filled donuts. The family also makes latkes and then lights the menorah.
Content Advisory
Maya’s teacher has a panic attack at the deli, and some parents worry she’s a danger to students. Their ignorance of mental health issues is acknowledged by Maya’s new therapist, and readers learn that anxiety is common and often very treatable.
What the Book is About
What the Book is About
Sixth-grader Maya Greenspan often feels anxious and worried–feelings that have grown now that her parents have decided to separate and her dad, a stand-up comic, has moved out. Will those emotions disappear if her parents reunite? Maybe if she performs a comedy routine at the class talent show her dad (loving but sometimes undependable) will rehearse with her, and her mom will be impressed by his responsible show of devotion. In the meantime, Maya’s fear of germs and her need for things to be a certain way make school and working at her family’s Russian deli increasingly difficult. She tries confiding in her mom and grandmother, but both brush off her mental health concerns as no big deal. When her teacher has a panic attack in public, a group of poorly informed parents try (unsuccessfully) to get her fired. Luckily, when Maya herself has a panic attack she finally gets the help she needs–and realizes that she and her parents will always be a family, no matter what. Maya’s anxiety is accurately portrayed and is nicely balanced by the book’s many humorous moments.
Jewish Content and Values
Jewish Content and Values
- Maya’s family are Russian Jews. Maya’s grandmother says that her mother had to hide being Jewish in Russia.
- For Hanukkah, Maya and her family make sufganiyot, special jelly-filled donuts. The family also makes latkes and then lights the menorah.
Content Advisory
Content Advisory
Maya’s teacher has a panic attack at the deli, and some parents worry she’s a danger to students. Their ignorance of mental health issues is acknowledged by Maya’s new therapist, and readers learn that anxiety is common and often very treatable.
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