Crying Laughing

No one knows how funny I am.

 

Well, that s not entirely true. My dad, and sometimes my mom, and my best friends, Leili and Azadeh, know.

 

And I know.

 

But no one else.

 

Definitely no one in school, where successful humor tends to involve farts.

 

I m not knocking fart humor, but I recognize it is but one color in the comedy rainbow. For many people at my school, however, it is one of just three primary comedy colors, the other two being sex humor (e.g., pretend-­humping in the hallway) and mean humor (e.g., pulling away someone s chair as they sit down), which isn t even humor so much as an excuse to be an asshole.

 

Anyway, if a joke falls in the forest and no one s there to hear it, it does not make a sound, so sometime in the middle of last year, I stopped saying my funny thoughts aloud. It s like giving your finest, most expensive jewelry to your hamster. Guess what? That hamster does not give a flying eff about carats.

 

(He might, however, care a great deal about carrots.)

 

(Ha-­cha!)

 

(I m sorry. I am aware puns are, in many ways, no better than fart jokes, but there s a long tradition of really smart comedy writers appreciating puns in a manner that is half ironic, half sincere ­and that is the way I appreciate them.)

 

So, yeah, when it comes to my sense of humor, most of the people in school are hamsters, which is why it s incredibly surprising that just now, on the second day of my sophomore year, I seem to have made Evan Miller laugh.

 

Ha, that s hilarious, he says, standing next to me, our lunch trays balanced on the metal rack of the cafeteria line, as his less sophisticated friend Tim Stabisch looks on like Wait, seriously? Was it?

 

I should mention: Evan Miller is, by

LANCE RUBIN is the author of Denton Little's Deathdate and Denton Little's Still Not Dead. He's worked as an actor, written and performed sketch comedy, and done a lot of improv (like The Lance and Ray Show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre). He's also the co-writer, along with Joe Iconis and Jason SweetTooth Williams, of the musical Broadway Bounty Hunter. Lance lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. You can follow him online at LanceRubin.com and on Twitter at @LanceRubinParty.

"Comedy has the ability to shine brightly in the darkness. Rubin tackles sensitive subjects with marvelous amounts of humor and heart. You will need tissues by the end of the book, but I promise it will be okay. Because, just as the title promises, you will also be laughing." NPR

"[A] hilarious, heartrending novel."  Shelf Awareness

"Crying Laughing offers insight into why it can be good to be unfunny, and advocates for facing up to feelings, even scary ones. Winnie s rapid-fire internal voice and awkward dating experiences are a hoot, and her relationships are infused with compassion and nuance." BookPage

A refreshingly diverse cast of characters . This book is for anyone who s ever attended high school, had a crush, gotten news they weren t prepared to deal with, or learned that someone close to them isn t quite who they thought they were in short, for everyone."  Booklist

"As funny as it is poignant... Winnie's story is handled with authenticity and heart. The deft movement between laughter and tears will appeal to fans of John Green."  SLJ

"A touching look into one girl's high school experience as she seeks the funny moments even in the midst of tragedy. Charming and affecting. Kirkus Reviews

"Charming, heartbreaking, and ultimately life-affirming, Rubin captures Winnie s verve and heart with honesty and wit." Publishers Weekly

"Realistically portrays the balancing act between seriousness and humor for a family more comfortable with the latter."  The Horn Book 

Crying Laughing walks the delicate line between comedy and tragedy without faltering once; a sharp-witted take on how humor can exist and be a source of strength even in the saddest moments.
Ariel Kaplan, author of We Are the Perfect Girl and We Regret to Inform You