Keep 'em Laughing

What makes a book funny? It can be a situation, such as a man falling in love with a barber pole or a boy wrestling a bear to impress girls. Sometimes it's all in the dialogue, as when a 13-year-old boy quotes those famous philosophers "Sew-crates" and "Ar-is-totally." Unusual characters can contribute to the humor; a well-mannered worm and a dishwashing alien are just two examples. Facts can also be funny, from science-based rules for dinosaur pets to the bathing habits of cockroaches. Visual ingenuity plays a role, too. Illustrations make a tale about mismatched body parts funnier, and sometimes even a single wordless photograph (of dancing polar bears, for example) inspires laughter. Humorous works offer great material for booktalks; sometimes a title alone, such as Chickens May Not Cross the Road and Other Crazy (But True) Laws, makes an irresistible hook. And many are surefire read-alouds with lively plots and inspired comic elements.

So how can you tell if a book is truly funny? When kids laugh out loud as they may upon reading a poem called "I'm Building a Bridge of Bananas." When they make sure their friends know about it, spreading the word with praise like "This is the funniest work book I've ever read!" And sometimes, it's even when the full grown children's librarian cracks up while reading about a duck with backwards feet who wears socks so its web prints won't show up.

Joke compiler Paul Brewer notes that "kids laugh around 200 times a day," and readers will have no trouble reaching that level when they check out some of the funniest books published in recent years.

Fiction

COX, Judy. Weird Stories from the Lonesome Café. illus. by Diane Kidd. Harcourt. 2000. Tr $15. ISBN 0-15-202134-5.

Gr 2-5–Uncle Clem says “nothing ever happens” at his café, but Sam knows better. The boy has seen Bigfoot flipping burgers, a handyman who resembles Santa, and a musical delivery guy in blue suede shoes. The local news team just misses discovering these and other newsworthy visitors, and Sam does what he can to keep them mystified. Fanciful black-and-white drawings and a judicious sprinkling of puns add to the pleasantly quirky plot that’s just right for first chapter book readers.

CRONIN, Doreen. Diary of a Worm. illus. by Harry Bliss. HarperCollins. 2003. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-06-000150-X; PLB $16.89. ISBN 0-06-000151-8.

PreS-Gr 3–This worm’s-eye view describes the dangers (hopscotch and fishing season) and pleasures (scaring kids and eating garbage) of life in earth. The diary format provides deadpan explanations of worm school, worm play, and the worm version of the “Hokey Pokey.” Droll illustrations pack personality into each expression. Scrapbook “photos” on the end pages complete the portrait of a very funny invertebrate. Video available from Weston Woods.

GANTOS, Jack. Jack Adrift: Fourth Grade without a Clue. Farrar. 2003. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-39987-5.

Gr 4-7–Jack’s life in a new town gets off to a rough start when he applies his dad’s advice to tell people “what they want to hear” a bit too freely. Falling in love with his teacher and becoming the school’s official Respect Detective don’t make things easier. Supporting characters include a neighbor kid who makes up silly songs, a backwards duck, and a likable father who’s as clueless as Jack himself.

HORVATH, Polly. The Pepins and Their Problems. illus. by Marylin Hafner. Farrar. 2004. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-35817-6.

Gr 3-7–This family’s problems include shoes filled with toads, a neighbor infatuated with a barber pole, and a “dapper gentleman” who comes to stay. Their solutions are pretty silly, but even more bizarre are suggestions supposedly collected from readers through the narrator’s “unusually large psychic antennae.” The author’s playful commentary adds a second layer of humor as she addresses readers directly with comical haughtiness. The book’s considerable potential as a read-aloud could be expanded by inviting listeners to contribute their own wild solutions. Audio version available from Listening Library.

HOWITT, Mary. The Spider and the Fly. illus. by Tony DiTerlizzi. S & S. 2002. RTE $16.95. ISBN 0-689-85289-4.

Gr 1-5–Ghostly black-and-white illustrations illuminate this 19th-century cautionary poem. With ebony backgrounds and gleaming white text, the rhyming tale unfolds like a silent movie. As the foolish Fly falls for the Spider’s verbal trap, visual clues reveal the gruesome fate toward which she is headed. The Spider’s expression of false charm provides humorous contrast to the Fly’s fragile innocence. The use of elegant language within such a macabre setting, accentuated by ghoulish pictorial details, provides great fun.

PALATINI, Margie. The Web Files. illus. by Richard Egielski. Hyperion. 2001. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-0419-X.

K-Gr 3–Dragnet meets Mother Goose as Ducktective Web investigates fowl play at the chicken coop. Clipped dialogue and dozens of puns infuse the text with sly humor that works on older kids, while younger readers will enjoy the nursery-rhyme references and respond to the satirical tone even when they don’t catch every allusion. Web and his assistant’s mock-serious expressions contrast delightfully with the supporting cast of amusing animal characters.

Nonfiction

BANY-WINTERS, Lisa. Funny Bones: Comedy Games and Activities for Kids. Chicago Review. 2002. pap. $14.95. ISBN 1-55652-444-7.

Gr 3-7–Creative activities provide plenty of fuel to bring out everyone’s silly side. They range from icebreakers and silly songs to games that help develop and refine actual comedy bits. Props, voices, and physical comedy are covered, and many sections combine elements touched on in earlier chapters. The ideas will inspire kids interested in performance comedy and also help develop the logic and observation skills that result in conversational, informal humor.

BREWER, Paul. You Must Be Joking!: Lots of Cool Jokes. illus. by author. Cricket. 2003. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-8126-2661-3.

Gr 3-6–“What did the buffalo say to his boy when he sent him off to college? 'Bison!’” So goes one of many better-than-average jokes in this collection. One chapter features funny titles (“The Killer Is Out There by R. Hugh Next”) while others include knock-knocks, animals, and “obvious” jokes (“How long did Cleopatra live? All her life.”). Goofy black-and-white drawings add to the humor. The final chapter offers practical advice for kids who want to develop their own comic skills.

KATZ, Alan. Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs. illus. by David Catrow. S & S. 2001. RTE $15.95. ISBN 0-689-82903-5.

K-Gr 4–Familiar songs are transformed into clever tunes about cranky poodles, dirty diapers, and overdue library books. “London Bridge,” for example, becomes “Brother Mitch keeps falling down...tie his laces,” with a satisfying punch line at the end: “Buy him Velcro!” Wacky watercolors amplify the absurdity. The baby in “Stinky Stinky Diaper Change,” for instance, is shown flying on a kite string while stink-bombing birds. A surefire hit as a read-aloud, or even better, as a sing-aloud.

LINZ, Kathi. Chickens May Not Cross the Road and Other Crazy (But True) Laws. illus. by Tony Griego. Houghton. 2002. Tr $16. ISBN 0-618-11257-X.

Gr 2-5–Over 20 actual laws from around the United States make this the funniest book in the 340’s. Restrictions range from unnecessary (you can’t fish for whales in Oklahoma) to completely off the wall (in Idaho, “trout fishing is against the law if you are sitting on a giraffe’s back”). Goofy full page pen-and-ink and watercolors show the silly laws being broken. There’s a bit of history too, but nothing quite explains the reasoning that made non-bouncing pickles deserving of legal prohibition.

MASOFF, Joy. Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty. illus. by Terry Sirrell. Workman. 2000. pap. $14.95. ISBN 0-7611-0771-1.

Gr 3-7–The true facts behind maggots, scabs, and toilets are fascinating, while the energetic, pun-filled text brings out the undeniably amusing side of grossness. Playful captions (“the poop on poop”) and weird but true sidebars (“fifteen clever ways to say...throwing up!”) provide humorous hooks to over 60 articles that unabashedly explore the yucky side of life. Illustrations include well-chosen, black-and-white photos along with cartoons of sickly lavender and bilious green.

PAYE, Won-Ldy & Margaret H. Lippert, retels. Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia. illus. by Julie Paschkis. Holt. 2002. RTE $16.95. ISBN 0-8050-6570-9; pap. $6.95. ISBN 0-8050-7890-8.

PreS-Gr 3–When bodiless Head gets tired of rolling around, he joins with Arms, then Body, and finally Legs to complete things. Not exactly though, because they connect in all the wrong places. The storytelling is mostly straight-faced, contrasting perfectly with the increasing visual wackiness of the oddly assembled appendages depicted in the gouache illustrations. Head’s refrain of “this is perfect” after each new connection paces the folktale neatly, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

PRELUTSKY, Jack. It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles. illus. by James Stevenson. HarperCollins. 2000. Tr $17.99. ISBN 0-06-029194-X; PLB $18.89. ISBN 0-06-029195-8; pap. $9.99. ISBN 0-06-076390-6.

K-Gr 5–A croaking princess, dancing hippopotami, and a sniffling piglet with an “oinkerchief” populate these inventive poems. Strong rhythms and flawless rhymes combine with mirthful cartoons to provide a rich variety of verbal and visual humor. Thick-skulled moose who attempt arithmetic are funny subject matter in Prelutsky’s hands, while the closing pun (“Those numbers have us moostified”) makes for a typically satisfying finish.

SCIESZKA, Jon. Science Verse. illus. by Lane Smith. Viking. 2004. RTE $16.99. ISBN 0-670-91057-0.

Gr 2-6–“The poetry of science” inspires these spoofs of classic poems. The big bang becomes a sneeze by “a fat guy with reindeer” while the “nevermore” refrain of Poe’s “Raven” turns into a child’s bored plea to avoid yet another year of studying dinosaurs. Madcap illustrations depict an overwhelmed student in a variety of scenes, even capturing the spirit of a poem that begins, “I think that I ain’t never seen a poem ugly as a spleen.” A great opportunity to infuse humor into science or poetry units.

Fiction

AVI & Rachel Vail. Never Mind!: A Twin Novel. HarperCollins. 2004. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-06-054314-0; PLB $16.89. ISBN 0-06-054315-9; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-06-054316-7

Gr 5-8–Meg tells one simple fib and Edward secretly decides to play along. By the time the rival siblings are through stretching the truth, they have created an imaginary rock band, a non-existent boyfriend for Meg, a girlfriend for Edward who does exist (but she’s never met him), and a party that promises to be a disaster (though everyone in town wants to come). The story, told in alternating voices, gets wilder as things spiral toward the twin-uniting climax.

CURTIS, Christopher Paul. Bucking the Sarge. Delacorte. 2004. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-385-32307-7; PLB $17.99. ISBN 0-385-90159-3.

Gr 7-9–Though his life in Flint, Michigan is rough, Luther, 15, tries to apply a philosophic attitude to the craziness surrounding him, most of which emanates from his mother. His naïve optimism and offbeat observations bring a lively sense of fun to the ill-fated schemes, unusual friendships, and narrow escapes that lead to his final bold move. Audio version available from Listening Library.

KORMAN, Gordon. No More Dead Dogs. Hyperion. 2000. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-0531-5; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-7868-1601-5.

Gr 5-8-Wallace Wallace always tells the truth, but when his book report describes a classic as “the most boring book I’ve read,” trouble starts. The book turns out to be the basis for the equally boring school play, and Wallace “improves” the performance by adding a moped, Rollerblades, and a rock band. Wallace’s unflinching bluntness in every situation sparks the lively dialogue, and the final production of the play is both funny and triumphant. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

MCKAY, Hilary. Saffy’s Angel. S & S. 2002. RTE $16. ISBN 0-689-84933-8; pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-689-84934-6.

Gr 4-7–The funniest moments in this novel featuring four siblings and their artist parents establish the unique personalities of the characters, from Caddy’s chaotic driving lessons to Rose’s rebellion when her class artwork is “stolen...by the wicked teacher.” Saffy’s secretive trip to Italy, spurred by the discovery that she is adopted, is filled with lighthearted moments. Rich, varied humor brings readers closer to the family, making serious themes resonate even more strongly. Audio version available from Listening Library.

PAULSEN, Gary. How Angel Peterson Got His Name: And Other Outrageous Tales about Extreme Sports. Dell. 2003. Tr $12.95. ISBN 0-385-72949-9; PLB $14.99. ISBN 0-385-90090-2; pap. $5.50. ISBN 0-440-22935-9.

Gr 5-8–In the 1950s version of extreme sports, there were no helmets and no pads, and the fate of an adolescent boy could be sealed by the phrase, “It can’t miss–what could go wrong?” Paulsen’s boyhood buddies attach skis to a speeding car, soar on a giant kite, and wrestle a bear in pursuit of glory earned at the cost of substantial bodily harm. Deadpan narration elicits simultaneous cringes and smiles, perfectly capturing the thrills, spills, and laugh-out-loud humor found in boys with lots of courage and very little sense. 

PRATCHETT, Terry. The Wee Free Men. HarperCollins. 2003. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-06-001236-6; PLB $17.89. ISBN 0-06-001237-4; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-06-001238-2.

Gr 5-9–Apprentice witch Tiffany has her hands full trying to rescue her brother from Fairyland. Then the “famously stealin’ folk” of the Nac Mac Feegle come to her aid. These blue skinned, six inch high “Wee Free Men” love “stealin’ and drinkin’ an’ fightin’,” but they fear nothing (except lawyers). Tiffany’s adventure has its harrowing moments, but the delightful Feegles add humor throughout, to their inventive methods of sheep thievery. Audio version available from Harper Children’s Audio.

RENNISON, Louise. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. HarperCollins. 2000. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-06-028814-0; PLB $16.89. ISBN 0-06-028871-X; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-06-447227-2.

Gr 7-9–The “confessions of Georgia Nicolson” include plenty of laughable situations involving disappearing eyebrows, a stuffed olive costume, and other catastrophes in the life of an unusual 14-year-old girl. But it’s Georgia’s frenetic, yet witty narration that elicits the best moments, as she ruminates on boys, death, parents, self-improvement, cats, yoga, and countless other topics. Her self-centered dramatics are fun because she describes them honestly and with fresh language peppered with slang and often unintended irony. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

Nonfiction

GREGORY, Leland. The Stupid Crook Book. Andrews McMeel. 2002. pap. $9.95. ISBN 0-7407-2694-3.

Gr 6 Up–They try to steal hedgehogs, Venus flytraps, and toy dog bones. Their weapons include can openers, umbrellas, and ravioli cans. These are the incompetent criminals in this collection of true stories. Their exploits are described in one-page summaries, often with a corny pun tied in at the end. Since the entries stand alone, this is an inviting title to browse while pondering the bad luck, poor judgment, and pure stupidity of one bungling crook after another.

MASH, Robert. How to Keep Dinosaurs. rev. ed. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. 2003. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-297-84347-8.

Gr 7 Up–This entertaining satire features wickedly clever care guides for several dozen prehistoric reptiles who might serve as pets, security guards, entertainers, and food. The ironically serious tone is maintained throughout for some dark and subtle humor. Some photographs depict dinos in action, while full-page scenes show the creatures in typical settings, like the group of Deinonychus playing poker for “high steaks.” Strong potential as a booktalk or as a science lead in.

RYLANT, Cynthia. God Went to Beauty School. HarperCollins. 2003. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-06-009433-8; PLB $15.89. ISBN 0-06-009434-6.

Gr 6 Up–This collection of poems is gently irreverent and frequently funny. God orders a couch (from Pottery Barn) and has to convince them to ship it to Heaven. He loves Rollerblades: “'Cool!’ said God as He whooshed past the old ladies.” Not all of the poems are so lighthearted, but these humorous touches set just the right tone for the subtle, sometimes profound perceptions that emerge.