Zee (Zeba) begins her story at a funeral. With instructions for no tears or black clothing, Zee is doing her best to follow her special friend’s words. Why special?

Zee is 13 years old and her recently passed friend was in her 80’s. They had been friends for only a few days. But those short days had changed Zee’s life – along with three young strangers and the elderly lady’s too. Settle in, because Zee is about to tell you all about it…

Not that long before the funeral, Zee’s mum has decided it’s not healthy for a 13 year old to watch documentaries all day and hang out with Oscar Wilde. At least his books, anyway. Mum has signed Zee up for Camp Youth Fusion and Zee is not happy about it. She’s quite happy not being like other kids her age. She’s not into fashion or gossip, social media or the plethora of other ‘mindless’ things that occupy the minds of other teens. Mum however, would like her daughter to at least try to make some new ‘real’ friends – hence, Camp Youth Fusion.

Zee agrees to a day to try it out, but it’s not long at all before the wheels completely fall off at this camp, and Zee discovers things about herself. She might actually be leadership material, sorting out a mess after a boy go missing, and shortly after, the camp staff!

Zee is mending scraped knees, working on the mystery missing boy and much to her shock, making friends with 2 super nerd twin boys and a beautiful teen influencer. What the heck!?

Jonah, Moses and Tiffanee are the last people Zee would normally connect with, but with the help of a glamourous elderly ex jazz singer, a barbed wire fence and a twisted camp counsellor, Zee’s world is changed forever.

Told directly to the reader from a sassy, sarcastic but always funny 13 year old girl like no other, Laughter is the best ending is full of just that – laughter.

It’s funny, thought provoking and a wonderful blend of young and old, popular or not, cool and very uncool, and unlikely friendships. There’s a mystery to solve, a modern dilemma to unpick and some ghoulish humour, sprinkled with illustrations to add yet more laughter to the tale.

Sure it begins and ends with a funeral, but you’ll certainly be smiling. I particularly liked the bond made between main character Zee and an old lady on the hill with a terrible reputation and a secret of her own.

Author – Maryam Master

Illustrator – Astred Hicks

Age – 10+

(2024, Pan Macmillan Australia, Humour, Friendship, Action, Mystery, Young & Old, Funny, Lists, Youth Camp, Nerds, Brothers, Twins, Teen Influencer, Beauty, What is Fake, What is Real, Online)