As someone who remember the details of 9/11 very vividly, this reminded me that I am teaching a group of students that see it as history, but have very little connection to the event. This book also reminds me that many people are still dealing with the aftermath, not just thinking about it on 9/11. The author handles what could be such a hard topic with grace. The characters were well thought out, and I loved the secondary characters. A must read!

I always enjoy reading YA books by Julie Buxbaum, but this book had a "can't put it down-ness" about it for me! I will definitely be adding it to my high school library collection, and I already know who I will be handing it off to in order to start the waiting list!

Wow, this was unexpected in the way that it tackles the very sensitive subject of 9/11 and the impact it had on the world. Abbi, aka "BABY HOPE" is famous for a photo that was taken of her being carried to safety while the Twin Towers collapsed behind her. She is almost 16 and is suddenly starting to have coughing fits to which she attributes to that fateful day. She wants to have one last summer before the reality of her illness kicks in so she decides to spend her time at summer camp, where she meets Noah, who blackmails her into helping him find out who an unidentified man in her famous baby picture is. Noah lives in Abbi's town and knows she is "Baby Hope" and in order to keep that quiet he hopes she an help him find out more information about the picture and the day This story was very interesting in the way it dealt with the aftermath of the tragedy and the way fictionalized survivors dealt with it. I found it beautifully written and heartbreaking at moments. I am a huge fan of Buxbaum and her Tell Me Three Things (loved the reference in this book!) and I was happy to see she was able write another realistic ya story that takes the reader on an emotional ride. I enjoyed this one and I am thankful to netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

As an adult, it was very interesting to read about 9/11 from the perspective of teens who were impacted by this tragic day in American history. Buxbaum handles the delicate topic with grace and even humor. I am a huge fan of Julie Buxbaum and her latest book lived up to all my expectations.

I loved the author's book "What to Say Next" so I was really excited to read "Hope and Other Punchlines," I'm so happy to say that it exceeded my expectations! There's just something about the way Julie BuxBaum writes that I always find appealing. I couldn't put it down! The story and the characters were remarkably written; this isn't just a book, it's an experience. I highly recommend this book and the author.

This story was great but it didn’t hook me like Tell Me Three Things did. Julie Buxbaum is a talented writer and I will continue reading her books despite the slight disappointment in this one. The writing is filled with lots of emotion, although the characters and their decisions caused me not to care. Abbi suffers from a serious condition and decides to enjoy her summer before informing her parents that she could possibly be dying. If she had just told them right away the problem would have been fixed before it progressed. Noah was annoying while Jack took the place of a lovestruck teenage girl. He only talked about his crush Brendan and was a deadweight to the plot. Abbi’s ex-friends were too. The twists were predictable from the beginning and Abbi’s grandmother was the best part of the story.

“Sometimes it feels like those towers are still falling and will never stop,” says Abbi Hope Goldstein, or as the country knows her, Baby Hope. Abbi became famous from a photograph captured on September 11th . Abbi is holding a red balloon as the World Trade Center is collapsing behind her. This moment of innocence inspires hope in the people. Now 15 years later, Abbi cannot escape her symbol status, when all she’d rather do is remain anonymous.

Hoping to spend the summer safely hidden at camp, Abbi is quickly identified by Noah Stern. The pun filled Noah is obsessed with the other people in Abbi’s iconic photo and he thinks Abbi is the key to getting the information he wants.

Even though this is a YA book, I think adults will be engaged with the emotional connections September 11th brings forth. This is a very character driven story and the impact of this iconic photo feels so real. Any storyline set in New York that refers to September 11th is bound to be heavy. To balance this darkness, Noah uses lots of puns, and bad puns to help readers.

Another moving and emotional charged book by Julie Buxbaum. Hope and Other Punchlines will have you hooked from the first page. Great character and an amazingly told story what more can you ask for.

I honestly adored this book! It was excellently written to the point that the story seemed real and drew you in. Each character has their own problem that they are dealing with and this is a really emotional book. I would definitely recommend reading this book because it was truly beautiful!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for giving me the chance to read and review this book early!

4.5 stars
I loved the characters and their teen-appropriate responses to a life-changing event (in this case the long-reaching effects of 9/11, which happened when they were babies) as well as current challenges and falling in love. Realistic family dynamics and well-developed supporting characters make this an above-average YA read. I really enjoyed it.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Children's in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

From beginning to end of this book I was in tears. Everyone has their own story of the traumatic event of 911 and where they were when the twin towers came crumbling down. I loved Hope's story about how she became the child in the famous photograph of baby hope and now has turned her into a celebrity but too much recognition can hurt someone very badly so she decides to escape to summer camp where she meets Noah who has a complete opposite story with one thing in common 911. For Noah, 911 cost him everything he had and he sets out to find the girl known as baby hope to seek real hope in his life that everything will be ok but he got more than what he sought out for. A compelling story that will leave you breathless and in tears from beginning to end.

We will consider adding this book to our YFiction collection in our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

What happens when you survive something that killed so many others? This story was a fresh look at post-9/11 teen life and takes a look at that very question. The two main characters were relatable, albeit frustrating at times. That was their beauty, though. I also liked the real situation Abbi faced in dealing with the end of a friendship that just seemed to end for no real reason. Overall, I will recommend to my students.

Julie Buxbaum has done it again! Two wonderful main characters with distinct voices, a compelling yet believable plot line, a great supporting cast of characters, and a beautiful style of writing. This one is the very definition of a must-read.

I loved this book! Sad, funny, happy, and hopeful...so good! I wish it were out now so I could give it to everyone I know who will love it!