Jimmy and the Great Pretend

Jimmy Doyle can make anyone laugh. A sneeze mid maths test, a wonky impression of the school principal, a prank gone spectacularly wrong, if there's a laugh to be had, Jimmy's already found it.

But underneath the jokes, Jimmy's hiding something. He's convinced he's not as clever as his classmate Lucas or his high achieving big sister Tayla, so he's decided being the funniest kid at Cooinda Creek Public is the next best thing. The trouble is, being funny all the time is exhausting, and sometimes his jokes land on the wrong person altogether.

When a joke at someone else's expense finally catches up with him, Jimmy has to work out where his real worth comes from, and discovers that God never meant for him to earn his place by performing. Along the way, one verse changes how he sees himself for good: "But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." (1 Corinthians 12:18)

A funny, warm hearted story for boys about comparison, kindness, and learning that you were worth something before the first joke.