My kids and I were doubled over with laughter with this one. Great for any kid who enjoys funny books like Dogman and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Read Harder Challenge: The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series; A one-sitting book

Sixth-grader Jake is starting to get nervous that he will be found out as a "fake" - since the piano piece he performed at the audition that got him admitted to the very free-form Music & Art Academy was the only song he knew, and he actually hates playing piano.

As school starts and he begins to make friends and get used to his teachers, he relies frequently on the fresh perspective of his close buddy, best friend Evan, who goes to the ordinary middle school in their neighborhood, as well as occasional misleading advice from his older sister Lisa, who attends the M&AA, and is not only a star pupil but is so stellar as so many things that he calls her a "unicorn."

On the surface, Jake seems to be a neurotic silly-pants, but as the story develops, his coping mechanisms - to fling himself wholeheartedly into whatever he's doing, and to give free rein to his wild word-association humor - actually provide him with a path to self-acceptance and transformation.

I appreciated the conversation at the end, which helped sum up what had happened, in case you missed it; Enjoy yourself, experiment, and see what happens. I think this message will be welcomed by many kids who are nervous about middle school, who compare themselves to others and believe they fall short, who aren't sure yet what they're good at, and who don't know who they should listen to.

There were a couple of jokes that seemed aimed at parents or teachers rather than kids, but not many - most of it was clearly aimed at 9- to 12-year-olds, and especially the goofy ones. Many aspects of the school are unbelievably goofy and strain credulity - but that is the point, that this story happens WAY out in left field.

The main character & his family are depicted as African American, and other characters are described by skin or hair color reflecting a mix of ethnicities, although each character's uniqueness is based on their particular art/talent or their personality.

Kincaid’s battle of the books- cute story about being your self, as weird as it might be.

Okay, this book was adorable! I admit I was kind of wondering how Craig Robinson was going to tackle a Middle Grade book, since his humor is usually more on the adult side, but I shouldn't have worried at all. Jake the Fake Keeps it Real manages to fit some real life middle school hardships and lesson in, while still being utterly hilarious. Impressive sirs. Thoroughly impressive.

See, Jake feels like a fake in his new magnet music and art school. Kids who excel at everything from peanut stacking (yes, I cracked up at that too) to singing opera are all around him, and he has no idea where he really fits in. Sound like a normal middle school experience? Yup, I thought so too. What sets Jake apart is that he's lucky enough to have a best friend who tells him like it is. Lo and behold, when Jake starts listening and stops trying so hard, he actually starts having a lot of fun!

It would be totally unfair not to mention Keith Knight's illustrations in this book. They are on practically every page and they really bring the humor home. Sure, hearing about an eccentric teacher is a lot of fun. Seeing him illustrated in a hilarious manner though? Way more fun! Plus the thoughts in Jake's head are illustrated in all their glory (and randomness), making this so much more amusing than I expected. If your young reader loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, they'll love this!

Funny, heartfelt, and with a great message, Jake the Fake Keeps it Real stole my heart! I'm now eagerly waiting for more, and I know that your young reader will be too.

I started this book because it was on our book fair, not expecting much. Turns out it was laugh-out-loud funny. Not deep by any means, but definitely amusing.

Eh, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the best. I think kids who are fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants might like this new series as well.

Good read for kiddos who worry about finding their talent and place in the world. Fast and fun!