Read + Review: Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum

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This book is about a girl named Abbi Hope Goldstein. However, Abbi isn’t a normal girl – to the world, she is known as Baby Hope. All of her popularity is because of a quick snapshot on 9/11 that showed that Abbi was a miracle baby. Sixteen years later, Abbi is trying to hide from the fame, and she faces an issue that makes her enjoy the time she is in, not knowing if she will have a future. Abbi goes to a camp where she meets a boy named Noah, who wants to connect her past and learn more about that famous Baby Hope photo, along with their friend Jack. Noah and Abbi embark on an emotional journey to reconnect the pieces that they lost so long ago. Though, neither of them is ready for what they will need to face.

I enjoyed how the author made me connect to the story, emotionally. The author helped me connect by throwing in instances and situations that are relatable. I like how the author showed Abbi’s true feelings about that photo and even gave a reason for her to feel that way. However, I wish that the author had included more about the story of 9/11 and its connection to Abbi. I would have loved to read the entire story of Abbi and 9/11.

One memorable thing in the book is how Abbi and Noah stuck with each other, no matter how harsh the news was. They stood by each other and supported one another, in a way that their bold friendship continued to grow.