Laughter is the Best Ending by Maryam Master and illustrated by Astrid Hicks shines a light on the beauty of intergenerational friendships. It also highlights the powerful and unlikely friendships that are formed when tweens come together for an extended period of time sans devices and creating an online identity as an “influencer”, the relentless nature of this and the superficiality of exhibitionism versus influencing. This middle grade fiction balances the serious themes with humour that will have readers laughing out loud and feeling the full gamut of emotions. The target audience will appreciate the visually driven format and the metafictive devices used throughout. The protagonist, Zee narrates the story and speaks directly to the reader, the story includes innovative design features with illustrations peppered throughout the book and some presented as comic panels. The arrangement of the text in different fonts and sizes will appeal to the target audience’s engagement with visual culture. Readers also gain a greater insight into one of the characters as there is a chapter that is a book take over (written from the point of view of Tiffanee).
Ziba, known as Zee finds people tedious, although she does think very highly of “old folk”, she chooses to live a solitary existence, is obsessed with Oscar Wilde, has a penchant for documentaries and her brain can’t help but make lists. Zee’s Mum is concerned about her daughter’s self-chosen path of isolation and signs her up for a retreat called Camp Youth Fusion to meet other people.
At this camp Zee meets Tiffanee (the reader learns that her name is spelt with two “e”s because her “parents are idiots”), an influencer. Her parents send her to the camp because they are highly concerned that she is consumed by social media, addicted to her social media accounts where she has 30 000 followers on Tik Tok and Instagram. Her parents want her to unplug. These girls who seemingly have very little in common bond and form a friendship with “super nerd” twins, optimistic Jonah and Moses who is a magnet for bad luck which makes for all sorts of mishaps and misadventures.
The camp begins with all camp goers forming groups and participating in a who-dunnit game. This sees Zee, Tiff, Jonah and Moses join forces. While attempting to solve the mystery there is talk of an urban legend, about an old lady, Old Bat Viv, that lives on the hill and the foursome believe she is the prime suspect. They break into her home and get way more than they could have ever bargained for, but not before seeing their lives flash before their eyes.
They soon learn that the wild rumours are untrue. Eighty-six year old Dame Viv has led a large, wild, adventurous life. She has lived life to the fullest and now in her old age shares that she is past her use-by date. She is expired and lonely. Full of spunk, sass and humour, she imparts in an inspiring, transformative, non-didactic way powerful lessons life has taught her.
This is a story that inspires readers to seek the glimmers in life, search for the joy and learn by experiencing that connection and laughter really are the best medicine.