Funny books for 2nd graders: Humor books for 2nd graders

Make Me Laugh: The Epic Librarian List of Funny Books for Kids

By Lynn Ann Lobash, Interim Director, Patron Services

July 10, 2018

Alvin Irvy, founder of the wonderful Barbershop Books spoke at the Why Reading Matters conference this year.  The slide below was part of his presentation.  When asked what they want from a book, parents most often say they want a book to build character or inspire goodness in their child. You know what kids want? Something to make them laugh. Let’s give them what they want. Our staff name their young patron’s laugh-out-loud favorites. 

Scholastic. Kids and Family Reading Report. Retrieved from: (http://www.scholastic.com/readingreport/what-parents-and-kids-want.htm)

Toot by Leslie Patricelli (Ages 0-4)

Funny even for kids who’ve outgrown board books, because how can a book about farts not be funny? In fact, all the board books by Leslie Patricelli are super-funny.

Katrina Ortega, Hamilton Grange

Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin (Ages 0-4)

I got a big kick out of the cows striking for better working conditions.

Melissa Scheurer, Mid-Manhattan

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea (Ages 2-6)

Ever since Unicorn moved into the neighborhood, Goat has been feeling out of sorts. Goat thought his bike was cool-until he saw that Unicorn could fly to school! Goat made marshmallow squares that almost came out right, but Unicorn made it rain cupcakes! Unicorn is such a show-off, how can Goat compete? When Goat and Unicorn share a piece of pizza, Goat learns that being a unicorn might not be all it’s cracked up to be. And when Unicorn shows his admiration for Goat, it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Rachael Wettenstein, Grand Concourse

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (Ages 2-6)

Anything by Mo Willems, but this is my personal favorite. There is something about reading this book aloud that always has the kids laughing and rolling on the floor. 

Virginial Bartow, Special Collections

How Do Dinosaurs. ..? series by Jane Yolen, ill. Mark Teague  (Ages 3-5)

Seeing these giant creatures go through everyday tasks like riding a bus, bubble the milk, go to the doctor makes the pictures look so silly that children laugh out loud. There are also parts in them where children learn how to not behave! They are funny, causing more laughter.

Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, Outreach Services

Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty (Ages 3-6)

This one is bound to crack smiles when read with a grouchy and demanding monster voice.  Bonus: Jeremy learns how to stand up to a bully and make friends. 🙂

Susan Tucker Heimbach, Mulberry Street

Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera (Ages 3-6)

Polar bear forgot his underwear and his friend mouse tries to help him find it by looking at different pairs. Children will have fun guessing which animal owns each pair of underwear. As anyone who works with children can tell you stories with underwear usually create a lot of giggles.

Chelsea Arnold, Hunts Point

I Don’t Want to be Bigby Dev Petty, ill. Mike Boldt (Ages 3-7)

A young frog enumerates why small is best, until his porcine pal reveals that growing older does not mean you have to stop being silly.

Jessica Agudelo, St. Agnes

The Day the Crayons Quitby Drew Daywalt, ill. by Oliver Jeffers (Ages 3-7)

An hysterical epistolary picture book in which Duncan’s crayons write letters to him explaining why they feel mistreated by his inability to use their colors the way they think he should.

Katrina Ortega, Hamilton Grange

The Monster at the End of This Bookby Jon Stone, ill. Michael Smollin (Ages 3-7)

A children’s classic starring lovable, furry old Grover from “Sesame Street,” who begs readers not to turn the page with increasingly hysterical results.

Gregory Stall, Grand Central

My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman (Ages 3-7)

The narrator tells a strange story that just gets stranger as it goes along, involving all of the bizarre things that a little girl eats and whether or not those bizarre things make her throw up.

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson, ill. Judy Schachner (Ages 3-7)

“I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” gets a funny and crazy holiday twist, as the old lady eats more and more food from the Thanksgiving table.

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge

Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett, ill. Adam Rex (Ages 3-7)

To teach him responsibility Billy Twitters’ parents get him a blue whale. Now Billy has to take care of his whale which is hard work.

Clarissa Cooke, 96th Street

Me Want Pet! by Tammi Sauer, ill. Bob Shea (Ages 3-8)

An hilarious picture book about a Cave Boy who wants a pet, but his family is not very supportive of the prehistoric animals he brings home. Be sure to read it out loud!

David Nochimson, Pelham Parkway-Van Nest

Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas (or really anything by Jan Thomas!) (Ages 3-8)

I love to sing the lullaby parts of this story about a not-so-brave cowboy who’s trying to help his cows go to sleep.

Susan Tucker Heimbach, Mulberry Street

Math Curse by Jon Scieszka (Ages 4-7)

When the teacher tells her class that they can think of almost everything as a math problem, one student acquires a math anxiety which becomes a real curse.

Ronnie Krasnow, Morningside Heights

Big Bunny by Rowboat Watkins (Ages 4-7)

A parent tells a scary story of a giant bunny to a child, who is not scared. The story includes funny scenarios like penguins driving trucks of vegetables and ends in a laugh out loud reveal of who the narrators are-lettuce!

Chelsea Arnold, Hunts Point

Tacky the Penguinby Helen Lester, ill. Lynn Munsinger (Ages 4-7)

I enjoy all the titles in this series.

Beverly McLay, Morningside Heights

Mother Bruceby Ryan Higgins (Ages 4-7)

Bruce is a grumpy bear who likes no one and nothing but cooked eggs, but when some eggs he was planning to boil hatch and the goslings believe he is their mother, he must try to make the best of the situation.

Rachael Wettenstein, Grand Concourse

Dear Mrs.Larue: Letters From Obedience School by Mark Teague (Ages 4-8)

A fun picture book told from the perspective of a naughty dog sent to obedience school who writes letters to his owner pleading to come home. Kids will love hearing Ike’s pleas to get out of school and hearing him claim his innocence.

Tiffany James, School Outreach

Is That Wise Pig?by Jan Thomas (Ages 4-8)

Cooking with unconventional ingredients is always a fun premise, and Thomas is a master at coupling classic comedy with vibrant cartoon illustrations.

Jessica Agudelo, St. Agnes

Robo-Sauce by Adam Rubin, ill. Daniel Salmieri (Ages 4-8)

A special sauce turns a boy into a robot, and he then transforms everyone and everything into robots, including the book! Robo-domination is near.

Rachael Wettenstein, Grand Concourse

King Babyby Kate Beaton (Ages 4-8)

A “king” baby arrives and his parents are at his beck and call for demands like feeding and burping. Both children and adults will find the baby’s demands and knowledge of his own importance funny.

Chelsea Arnold, Hunts Point

Goodnight Already! by Jory John, ill. Benji Davies (Ages 4-8)

Poor bear is trying to get some sleep but his neighbor Duck keeps trying to come over-even climbing outside of his window. Bear’s grumpy responses and Duck’s constant questions create a funny story complete with a cute ending where now Bear is wide awake and Duck is sleepy.

Chelsea Arnold, Hunts Point

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein (Ages 4-8)

Little Red Chicken keeps interrupting his bedtime tales as each stories begins.

Kim Barrett, Yorkville

Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish (Ages 4-8)

She’s always misunderstanding / misinterpreting something.

Helen Broady, Harry Belafonte 115th Street

The Retired Kid by Jon Agee (Ages 4-8)

Exhausted by his hectic life, eight-year-old Brian moves to the Happy Sunset Retirement home in Florida.

Lynn Lobash, Readers Services

Bark George by Jules Feiffer (Ages 4-8)

George’s mother can’t get him to bark so she takes him to the doctor. ​What follows is a kind of broad physical comedy that many children love.

Lynn Lobash, Readers Services

Charlie and Lola series by Lauren Child (Ages 4-8)

One of my all time favorite character duos. This brother and sister team are sweet and funny and the art is a knockout with gorgeous textile patterns mixed with line drawn characters.

Lynn Lobash, Readers Services

Brief Thief by Michaël Escoffier, ill. Kris Di Giacomo (Ages 4-8)

Leon the lizard discovers that all the toilet paper is gone, so he makes use of a pair of underwear that is just hanging there in the tree where he is. The underwear has holes in it surely no one could want it?

Clarissa Cooke, 96th Street

The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors by Drew Daywalt, ill. Adam Rex  (Ages 4-8)

This book was such a homerun when we were promoting Summer Reading last year.  It hilariously details the origins of the game, Rock, Paper, Scissors… Choice lines include, “You, sir, look like a fuzzy little butt” and “Ahhhh! Foul wizard! He’s blotted out the sun! Run for your lives, laddies!”

Susan Tucker Heimbach, Mulberry Street

My Lucky Dayby Keiko Kasza (Ages 4-8)

A clever pig tricks a big bad wolf into giving him a bubble bath, feeding him a gourmet meal, and even massaging him.

Susan Tucker Heimbach, Mulberry Street

Little Rooster’s Diamond Button by Margaret Read MacDonald, ill. Will Terry (Ages 4-8)

Who can resist a story with a magic rooster and a mean king who winds up with a pants full of bees?

Susan Tucker Heimbach, Mulberry Street

Someone Farted by Eric Bruce Kaplan (Ages 4-8)

Whoever smelt it dealt it, right?  The answer is not as obvious as it seems.  You may want to roll down the windows for this car ride.

Jenny Rosenoff, 42nd Street Children’s Center

A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea by Michael Ian Black, ill. Kevin Hawkes (Ages 4-8)

Find out why.  Kevin Hawkes’ illustrations add to the comedy and make this one of my favorite read-alouds.

Jenny Rosenoff, 42nd Street Children’s Center

Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan & Emily MacLachlan Charest, ill. Katy Schneider (Ages 4-8)

You just need to see the guilty little pug face on the cover of this book to know you’re in for some silly puppy poems.

Jenny Rosenoff, 42nd Street Children’s Center

This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen (4-8)

A small fish steals a big fish’s hat and is sure he’ll get away with it. The expressions on the character’s faces as well as the ridiculousness of fish wearing hats underwater creates a humorous story.

Chelsea Arnold, Hunts Point

We Found a Hat by Jon Klassen (Ages 4-8)

Klassen’s deadpan game is SO strong and kids love being in on the joke.

Lynn Lobash, Readers Services

Elephant & Piggie series  by Mo Willems (Ages 4-8)

Silly (and sometimes educational) stories between two bffs, Gerald (the elephant) and Piggie (the pig), and takes readers on the very funny and fantastic adventures that happen to these two friends.

Katrina Ortega, Hamilton Grange

Have You Seen Elephant? by David Barrow (Ages 5-6)

An elephant plays hide and seek with a little boy and claims to be a great hider. Even as elephant hides behind small objects and is clearly visible the boy cannot seem to see the huge animal.

Chelsea Arnold, Hunts Point

Dog Breath: The Horrible Terrible Trouble With Hally Tosisby Dav Pilkey (Ages 5-8)

An hilarious tale of a dog named Hally Tosis whose breath is so bad her family has to figure out creative and funny ways to live with her and her bad breath. This one is laugh out loud funny.

Tiffany James, School Outreach

It’s Only Stanley by Jon Agee (Ages 5-8)

A family is repeatedly woken up during the night, but it’s only Stanley, the dog, doing more and more bizarre things. Guaranteed giggles!

Kate Fais, Bloomingdale

The Book With No Pictures by B.J Novak (Ages 5-8)

Metafiction for the elementary school set. This reader plays the straight man and it if you read it well everyone will laugh at you.

Lynn Lobash, Readers Services

Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka & Mac Barnett, ill. Matthew Myers (Ages 5-9)

Battle Bunny appears to be a book called Birthday Bunny that has had words crossed out and replaced with funny alternatives. Battle bunny eats brains not carrots.

Clarissa Cooke, 96th Street

The True Story of the Three Little Pigsby Jon Scieszka, ill. Lane Smith (Ages 5-9)

An uproarious riff on the classic fairy tale where the Three Little Pigs are brutish and rude neighbors and the poor wolf, who has a terrible cold, keeps accidentally sneezing houses down while going around the neighborhood asking for a simple cup of sugar.

Katrina Ortega, Hamilton Grange

Captain Pug: The Dog Who Sailed the Seasby Laura James, ill. Eglantine Ceulemans (Ages 6-9)

Maybe I’m just a fool for puppy humor, but this young reader about a cream puff eating pug really tickled my funny bone.

Jenny Rosenoff, 42nd Street Children’s Center

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwichby Adam Rex (Ages 6-9)

Do you think Frankenstein’s monster is scary? What if he’s just making a sandwich? Do you think the Phantom of the Opera is scary? Is he still scary if he can’t get the song “It’s a Small World” out of his head?

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge

The Yark by Bertrand Santini, ill. Laurent Gapaillard (Ages 6-10)

The Yark loves children . . . with the love of a gourmand! This hairy monster dreams of child buffets—ham of boy, orphan gratin, breaded babies, girl rillettes. But he has a problem: his delicate stomach can only tolerate nice children; liars give him heartburn and savages spoil his teeth. There are not nearly enough good, edible children around to keep him from starvation.  

Rachael Wettenstein, Grand Concourse

Time Warp Trioseries by Jon Scieszka, ill. Lane Smith (Ages 7-9)

Three boys open a magic book which transports them in time and space, leading to impossible adventures in medieval times, ancient Egypt, prehistory, and even the future!

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey (Ages 7-10)

A fun young reader told by 4 bad guys- a wolf, a snake, a piranha, and a shark who try to find a way to change their reputation and go from bad guys to good guys. Kids will laugh out loud as this group struggles to do good and work together as a team.

Tiffany James, School Outreach

Arabel’s Ravenby Joan Aiken, Ill. Quentin Blake (Ages 7-10)

Mortimer is Arabel’s pet raven. Somehow mayhem follows Mortimer wherever he goes, burglars, escaped snakes, and more.

Clarissa Cooke, 96th Street

The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series by Betty Bard MacDonald (Ages 8-12)

The absurdity of solutions and situations always made me giggle as a child. I still have the copies my mother read to me, and they still make me laugh.

Rachael Berkey, Communications

The Vicar of Nibbleswicke by Roald Dahl, ill. Quentin Blake (Ages 8-12)

A newly appointed vicar suffers from Back-to-Front Dyslexia, a fictional type of dyslexia which causes him to unwittingly utter the most important word in a sentence backwards. Outrageous hilarity ensues.

Gregory Stall, Grand Central

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (Ages 8-12)

As a kid, I can remember laughing uproariously until my stomach hurt at the antics of the Herdman children. The horrible Herdmans come to church for the free snacks and end up in the Christmas pageant much to everyone’s shock and chagrin. Oof the Herdman kids are soooo bad! But even they learn the true spirit of Christmas. Forty years later, the laughs are still there.

Anne Rouyer, Mulberry Street

Timmy Failure series by Stephan Pastis (Ages 8-12)

Stephan Pastis uses the same humor you’ll find in his Pearls Before Swine comic strip to tell the story of a boy detective, his polar bear sidekick, and their crazy adventures.

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge

The Twits  and Matilda by Roald Dahl, ill. Quentin Blake (Ages 8-12)

Evil adults doing nasty pranks and hijinx?  It is so gratifying when they get a taste of their own medicine.

Leslie Bernstein, Mott Haven

How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (8-12)

Billy has to eat 15 worms in 15 days or lose a bet.

Clarissa Cooke, 96th Street

Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman, ill. Skottie Young (Ages 8-12)

A wacky British story about time travel, aliens, and breakfast cerea.. When this book was first released Neil Gaiman did public readings of it to adults that were smash hits.

Clarissa Cooke, 96th Street

Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar (Ages 8-12)

One of the funniest books I’ve ever read.  I still tell the “Rude Officer Ed” joke to my friends, which I first read as a middle schooler, to their constant chagrin. Really, anything by Louis Sachar is a guaranteed laugh riot.

Elizabeth Baldwin, Mid-Manhattan

The Wee Free Menby Terry Pratchett (Ages 9-12)

Young Tiffany Aching must defend her home against the Queen of the Elves and her sinister minions, with the help of the Feegle, sword wielding sheep stealing blue men who are six inches tall.

Clarissa Cooke, 96th Street

No More Dead Dogs  by Gordon Korman (Ages 9-12)

Hilarious story about a boy who’s given detention and winds up totally changing the class play for the better.

Beverly McLay, Morningside Heights

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle (Ages 9-13)

Tag along with 13-year-old Nate Foster as he chases his Broadway dreams via bus from western Pennsylvania to New York City, armed with little more than a stash of donuts, a lucky rabbit’s foot, a bit of hope mingled with desperation, and a lot of humor. If this book leaves them wanting more, then Five, six, seven, Nate! will satisfy their desire for a sequel.

Jennifer Brinley, Westchester Square

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

28 Funny Books for Kids They?re Guaranteed to Love

family

By Emma Singer

Published Feb 22, 2022

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. You can learn more about that process here.

There’s no bad time to enjoy a good laugh—or a good read, for that matter. And if the young person in your life is wise to the fact that comedic relief can be found between the pages of a book, they’ll very likely start hitting the library more often. Here, a roundup of funny books for kids of all ages that will have them smiling, giggling and falling in love with reading.

Amazon

1. the Book With No Pictures By B.j. Novak

The Book With No Pictures is a wildly funny and oh-so clever read-aloud that capitalizes on the fact that the person reading has to say whatever is written. In other words, prepare to sound pretty ridiculous while your kid squeals with laughter, because the joke’s on you, parents.

Best for ages 5 to 8

$11 at Amazon

Amazon

2. alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day By Judith Viorst

Whether or not a kid finds this classic story about a boy having a bad day funny (as opposed to simply depressing) likely comes down to their temperament and the tone in which it is read. Still, one could argue that those who don’t appreciate the humor will benefit most from the message about resilience in the face of disappointment, so it’s a worthy read either way.

Best for ages 6 to 9

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

3. funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever. Edited By Betsy Bird

This hilarious collection of short stories by female writers boasts girl power vibes and enough silly jokes to keep tweens giggling from start to finish. That said, parents might want to screen this one for age appropriateness, since some of the stories contain puberty jokes, as well as references to everything from fancy bras and boy-crazy behavior to drugs (albeit in the context of a D.A.R.E. class).

Best for ages 8 to 12

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

4. someday A Bird Will Poop On You By Sue Salvi

Here, a humorous picture book with positive messages about resilience, plus the considerable kid-appeal of poop. If Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day didn’t strike your child as terribly funny, Someday a Bird Will Poop on You is a thoughtful, but light-hearted alternative that checks all the boxes.

Best for ages 3 to 7

$13 at Amazon

The Bedtime Chronicles

5. girl With The Blue Hair By Derek Siskin

Girl with the Blue Hair—the second installment of the Bedtime Chronicles—is an empowering story about girl power and the importance of not judging a book by its cover. It’s also replete with colorful images and the hip hop rhyming scheme makes it a whole lot of fun to read.

Best for ages 3 to 8

Buy it ($20)

Amazon

6. the Serious Goose By Jimmy Kimmel

Written and illustrated by late-night funny man Jimmy Kimmel, The Serious Goose is a clever and engaging book that tasks readers with the job of getting a dour goose to crack a smile. Needless to say, being as silly as possible is the key to success, so the process is just plain fun.

Best for ages 3 to 7

$11 at Amazon

Amazon

7. interrupting Chicken By David Ezra Stein

Sweet, funny and brightly illustrated, David Ezra Stein’s Caldecott award-winning book about a young chicken who won’t let his papa get through a bedtime story without interruption is a charming (and relatable) read that’s sure to entertain kids and parents alike.

Best for ages 4 to 8

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

8. i Don’t Want To Be A Frog By Dev Petty

A sweet picture book for the younger crowd, I Don’t Want to Be a Frog is driven by hilarious banter between a young frog who wants to be anything but himself and his unflappable father. Best of all, the story’s positive message about self-acceptance ensures that reading time will end on a tender note once the laughter subsides.

Best for ages 3 to 7

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

9. we Found A Hat By Jon Klassen

Jon Klassen’s clever book about two turtles and a coveted hat is a testament to how perfect pacing, nuanced illustrations and a satisfying narrative arc can be employed to turn what would otherwise be a simple story into a work of comedic genius. Bottom line: If your kid doesn’t yet appreciate the art of deadpan, We Found a Hat will change that fast.

Best for ages 4 to 8

$15 at Amazon

Amazon

10. junie B. Jones And The Stupid Smelly Bus By Barbara Park

A New York Times bestseller and long-standing favorite among young readers, Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus is the first in an uproariously funny and highly relatable series of chapter books told from the perspective of a sassy kindergartener with personality to spare.

Best for ages 6 to 9

$4 at Amazon

Amazon

11. moo By Sharon Creech

After moving with her family to rural Maine, young Reena is struggling to adjust to country life…until she starts to develop an unexpected bond with an unusually grumpy cow, that is. In this sweet and silly novel for tween readers, Newbery Medal-winning author Sharon Creech uses a combination of poetry and prose to craft a story that has a whole lot of heart.

Best for ages 8 to 12

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

12. it’s All About Me-ow By Hudson Talbott

Buddy the housecat takes it upon himself to train the family’s new kittens. The result? One seriously funny guide—complete with vibrant and wildly entertaining illustrations—on how to rule the roost without the humans of the household suspecting a thing. If you’re looking for a quick, playful read for younger kids, It’s All About Me-Ow will be right up your alley.

Best for ages 3 to 7

$17 at Amazon

Amazon

13. everyone Poops By Taro Gomi

Presenting a potty training classic that really tells (and shows) it like it is. Indeed, Everybody Poops relies on a brilliant combination of simple, matter-of-fact text and, um, colorful illustrations to cover all the basics of bowel movements whilst keeping the toddler crowd mighty entertained.

Best for ages 0 to 3

$15 at Amazon

Amazon

14. finders Keepers By Keiko Kasza

Quiet, sweet and full of suspense, this book about a humble hat and its journey on the breeze boasts a charming surprise ending, gorgeous mixed-media illustrations and the kind of subdued humor that promises to entertain a preschooler without sabotaging bedtime.

Best for ages 3 to 5

$17 at Amazon

Amazon

15. farts In The Wild By H.w. Smeldit

With a title like Farts in the Wild, it should come as no surprise that this foray into the world of flatulence is, well, wildly funny. Our favorite thing about H.W. Smeldit’s potty humor piece de resistance, though, is that the text successfully had us mistaking fiction for zoological fact (but only for a second, we swear).

Best for ages 5+

$10 at Amazon

Amazon

16. detective Gordon: The First Case By Ulf Nilsson

An ideal chapter book for intermediate readers, this whodunit features a hapless and highly entertaining detective, a go-getter police mouse and an agitated squirrel—all invested (to varying degrees) in cracking a case of stolen nuts. Dive into this one and you’ll be rewarded with excellent writing, full-color pastel drawings and compelling, age appropriate content.

Best for ages 5 to 11

$16 at Amazon

Amazon

17. the Phantom Tollbooth By Norton Juster

Milo, a bored and apathetic young boy, is cured of his disenchantment when a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his bedroom and transports him to a whimsical fantasy land where things are far from snoozy. (Downright confusing, in fact.) Hand this classic to the young, independent reader in your home and they’ll be whisked away to a world of wordplay, wit and imagination.

Best for ages 8 to 12

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

18. captain Underpants By Dav Pilkey

Dav Pilkey’s New York Times bestselling series about two imaginative fourth graders and the adventures they share when their comic book character comes to life is exceedingly silly and undeniably fun to read. That said, parents with an aversion to potty humor should probably steer clear.

Best for ages 5 to 9

$27 at Amazon

Amazon

19. president Taft Is Stuck In The Bath By Mac Barnett

The over-the-top gouache illustrations do a bang-up job of telling the (historically accurate) story of President Taft’s unfortunate encounter with a bathtub. The content of this one is plenty engaging and sure to elicit giggles from young readers, but it’s worth noting that, due to the nature of the anecdote, the humor in this one revolves around fat-shaming to a degree that many would (understandably) find off-putting.

Best for ages 4 to 8

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

20. the Wicked Big Toddlah By Kevin Hawkes

A whimsical story about a giant baby who inadvertently gets into big trouble as he navigates all the normal first year routines. The Wicked Big Toddlah boasts stellar artwork and a storyline that promises to have everyone in stitches.

Best for ages 2 to 6

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

21. the Bear Ate Your Sandwich By Julia Sarcone-roach

A mischievous bear wanders from the forest into the city, steals a sandwich from a park bench and returns back home…or so the narrator would have you believe. Indeed, the surprise ending of this one is as delightful as the lively romp that precedes it.

Best for ages 3 to 5

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

22. the Midnight Gang By David Walliams

David Walliams’s irreverent humor delivers big laughs in this imaginative book, which boasts rich characters, detailed illustrations and a compelling storyline about a particularly dreadful children’s hospital ward and the magic the patients make there after dark.

Best for ages 8 to 12

$8 at Amazon

Amazon

23. lion Lessons By Jon Agee

Lion Lessons, as the name suggests, follows the progress of a human boy as he trains to become a lion—a hilariously absurd premise made even funnier by Jon Agee’s gouache illustrations and sparse, witty text. This read-aloud will quickly become a story time favorite.

Best or ages 4 to 8

$13 at Amazon

Amazon

24. grumpy Monkey By Suzanne Lang

A chimpanzee named Jim finds himself feeling seriously grumpy on a beautiful day, and his friends’ relentless efforts to turn his mood around amount to naught. Light-hearted and humorous throughout—Grumpy Monkey teaches kids an important lesson in emotional literacy (i.e., that all emotions, even negative ones, are OK and sometimes you just need to let them be).

Best for ages 3 to 7

$7 at Amazon

Amazon

25. amelia Bedelia By Peggy Parish

Amelia Bedelia is a charming and well-intentioned housekeeper who always follows instructions to the letter…but has no understanding of figures of speech. As such, you can imagine the hilarity that ensues when she’s asked to perform simple tasks like “dress a chicken” or “draw the drapes.” The takeaway? If side-splitting comedy is what you demand, Amelia Bedelia will get the job done.

Best for ages 4 to 8

$15 at Amazon

Amazon

26. the Day The Crayons Quit By Drew Daywalt

This deliciously witty story about disgruntled crayons who essentially stage a workplace walkout will stir the young imagination and inspire much laughter in parents and kids alike.

Best for ages 3 to 7

$9 at Amazon

Amazon

27. don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus By Mo Willems

Mo Willems ingeniously flips the script on preschool readers in this uproarious book by giving kids the opportunity to lay down the law when a goofy cartoon pigeon throws a toddler-style tantrum over driving the bus.

Best for ages 3 to 6

$11 at Amazon

Amazon

28. i’m Just No Good At Rhyming By Chris Harris

Fans of Shel Silverstein will delight in this whimsical and cheeky collection of poems. Chris Harris uses wordplay and wit to great effect in his offbeat poetry, and the result is a smart and hilarious read that kids will want to return to again and again.

Best for ages 6+

$20 at Amazon

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10 funny books for kids – with jokes, poems and funny stories

10 funny books for kids – with jokes, poems and funny stories

A book doesn’t have to have a serious moral!

Humor in children’s books is very vulnerable: some people think that it’s impossible to joke with children like that, others don’t find it funny, and still others don’t laugh where the author intended. However, today there are so many different books that, perhaps, every reader will find a funny story to his liking.

Masquerade

Author and illustrator: Dagmar Urbankova

Translator: Ksenia Timenchik

Publisher: Samokat

Age: 3-6 years old

This is a game book, the pages of which are cut into three parts. They can be turned over individually and make a variety of combinations of heads, torsos and legs on the right side of the turn. On the left you get a funny phrase that will change if you turn one of the three parts of the page over again. However, you don’t have to turn it over, because the rhythmic sentences, as well as the drawings accompanying them, are funny in any case: “Spider-Man climbs a high bough”, “An elf with ears looks at you with her girlfriends”.

Such books always help to occupy a child who cannot yet read, he can make funny monsters for hours. However, they are even more useful for novice readers, because reading funny, ridiculous or absurd phrases like “Spider-Man will bewitch the sofa” or “From the Czech Republic the skeleton sees the trunk for the first time” is much more entertaining than the standard sentences from the Primer about mother and frame.

Let us add that Zhenya Katz’s books for beginners to read in Russian and English “Grandma Saws an Apple Pie” and “A Cheerful Apple Tree Sits on the Sofa”, published by MCNMO, were made according to the same principle.

the koala who could

Author: Rachel Bright

Translator: Maria and Ekaterina Junger

Illustrator: Jim Field

Publisher: Polyandria

Age: 3-6 years old

It happens that there is nothing particularly funny in the plot of the book, but it is drawn so funny that the reader finds a reason to smile on every page. This is exactly the picture book about Kevin’s koala.

This same Kevin was unpretentious: for a happy life, branches, sun and a leaf for dinner were enough for him, the koala preferred to stay in one place all the time. It wasn’t that he didn’t want anything, he was just scared:

“After all, the houses on the branches are calm and quiet.

And it’s so scary from below: everyone is dashing,

Everything rushes, screams, and grows, and sings.

In general, there is too much trouble downstairs.”

Avoiding trouble, Kevin hung and hung, and did not want to change anything at all. Perhaps nothing in Kevin’s life would have changed if one day his cherished tree had not collapsed. That’s when he finally got off his favorite branch and went for a walk, play and learn new things.

The story is no doubt instructive, but what is so funny about it? Thanks to artist Jim Field, absolutely everything! Hilarious animals with expressive muzzles against the backdrop of a bright forest, Kevin’s library with unexpected titles typical of suffering hypochondriacs, and the main character himself with a desperate look and huge shaggy ears.

This is the second book by Rachel Brat and Jim Field published by Polyandria. In the previous story, “Squirrels in a Trouble,” also delightfully vivid and written in verse, the characters rushed after the nuts that were running away from them.

giraffe problems

Author: John Dory

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Translator: Mikhail Wiesel

Publisher: Edited by Willy Winki

Age: 3-6 years old

The main problem of the giraffe Samson is, of course, the neck. No one else has such a long neck, and this upsets him extremely. She is too long, skinny, fidgety, motley, and so on, in general, everyone is looking at her!

The little reader will laugh at the main character, who is worried about such nonsense, ties dozens of scarves around his neck and hides it in the most sophisticated ways, and the teenager will nod understandingly to the giraffe. Why? Yes, Samson just talks exactly like a man of 13-14 years old: “My mother says that I should be proud of my neck. That other animals would be happy to have such a neck. Well, yes, well, yes … Don’t be offended, mom. But no one needs such a neck for nothing. Only mom will like this neck. That’s why I want to hide until dark.” So he would have been hiding if he had not met the turtle. The new friend not only sincerely admired the long neck, but also helped to see the benefits of such an unusual appearance.

The story about the ability to love yourself for who you are was written by John Dory and drawn by Lane Smith. He accompanied the text with funny mise-en-scenes and witty accents, so that it turned out to be a truly “funny children’s book for adults.” We add that these authors are well aware of the problems of everyday life of our contemporaries, because not so long ago their joint book “Penguin Problems” was published, the main character of which had an extremely difficult day. As in the giraffe book, the penguin has a friend who helps him find a different angle of view and see the good around him.

Cricket on the nose

Author: Edward Lear

Illustrator: Evgeny Antonenkov

Translator: Georgy Kruzhkov

Publisher: Nigma

Age: from 5 years

Of course, it is possible to retell the plots of Edward Lear’s poems, but it is rather pointless, because we have before us nonsense poetry, in which the incongruous is combined, the characters fool around and behave strangely and illogically. For a serious person, this does not make any sense, but for a laughing person, the opposite is true.

Lear’s fables are not so easy to imagine, but the artist Yevgeny Antonenkov succeeds. Fiction, humor and fantasy in his drawings are almost more than in poetic lines: a grandmother in a jar, a girl with a long nose, an old man dancing with a crow, and dozens of other funny characters dance and jump on the pages of the book.

In total, the book includes a dozen and a half poems, very short limericks and long ballads, in each of them the characters are faced with the unusual and incredible, but they continue to behave as if this is the simplest everyday life, which is probably why the reader is funny, even if the hero is sad. After all, one of them suffers from blue-handed jumbles that have sailed away into the distance, the other walks around the world with a sadly distant look and a green grasshopper on his nose, and the third swims astride a goose in the open sea, but does not worry at all that he can drown, he suffers, because he wants to “drink tea with grandma. ”

The book was published in the Merry Albion series, which produces the best children’s collections of nonsense poetry with new illustrations.

laughter lesson

Author and illustrator: Leonid Kaminsky

Publisher: AST

Age: 6-10 years old

Any parent who is in the 70s and 80s. read the children’s magazine “Bonfire”, at first sight recognizes this book, because it is made up of funny stories, drawings and anecdotes of the humorous column “Merry Call”. The “teacher of laughter” Leonid Kaminsky composed and drew for her, as well as numerous readers of the column who sent letters to the editors of the magazine. All the jokes were about schoolchildren and the school, in addition, the book included cartoon stories about Petya and his dad.

Some dialogues and stories seem outdated today: the wall newspaper is no longer something mandatory for all classes, writers rarely use typewriters when writing stories, and schoolchildren who have YouTube on their phones do not spend evenings watching “What? Where? When?” on TV. Nevertheless, the book remains an example of good school humor and, of course, an excellent opportunity for parents to tell the current students of the “Yu” classes about the phenomenon of pioneer childhood and their own school exploits.

Sly Teeth

Author: Artur Givargizov

Illustrator: Evgenia Dvoskina

Publisher: Labyrinth

Age: 8-12 years old

Collections of short stories – half a page – by Artur Givargizov have been reprinted since the early 2000s. and will soon become as recognized school classics as the favorite stories of Soviet authors. True, Artur Givargizov does not at all strive to be a realist, on the contrary, he diligently exaggerates, changes the usual roles (“good” becomes “bad” for him and vice versa), juggles with words, and all this is around long-imposed school topics.

As in short episodes of the children’s film magazine “Yeralash”, even sad things happen to his characters easily and funny. Take, for example, the story of Serezha, who saw the inscription “Seryozha, I love you!” on the wall. signed “Tanya”. Serezha questioned all the Tanyas at school (and there were thirty-two of them), and they only resented. Serezha was terribly upset, he got sick, and then he found out that Anya made the inscription, just someone later signed the letter “T”. These unpretentious plots, written with impeccable rhythm and intonation recognizable from the first lines, do not pretend to be wisdom or thoughtfulness in the slightest, but, paradoxically, they sink into the soul of smart children. For those who understand humor.

The trees make the wind

Author: Stanislav Vostokov

Illustrator: Elena Stanikova

Publisher: Egmont

Age: 8-12 years old

“Today my grandmother and I went to the Tretyakov Gallery to strengthen my artistic taste. My taste is crepe from picture to picture, and when we approached the canvas “Morning in a Pine Forest”, I realized that I could no longer be spoiled by any abstractionism” .

This fragment (like many other quotes from the story) has long gone to the people, and few people remember that we have before us the story of a 6-year-old boy Gena, the protagonist of the story “The trees make the wind. ” Gena goes to kindergarten and keeps a diary in which she notes the oddities in the behavior of children and adults, the absurdities in the plots of familiar fairy tales, and other features of the familiar world. Of course, readers immediately noted that the boy somehow talks too maturely, jokes too subtly, and does not look very much like a real preschooler, who usually has completely different interests and puns. Let’s reveal a secret: it was meant to be. Perhaps this is the only book about kindergarten that schoolchildren and adults read with pleasure.

The story is reprinted for the third time, and we are unlikely to exaggerate if we say that it is far from being the last.

It’s good that I am. Almost childish poetry

Author: German Lukomnikov

Illustrator: Kolya Filippov

Publisher: Samokat

Age: from 10 years old

Lukomnikov is a master of writing the most brilliant and shortest poems. In one or two lines, he succinctly and aptly says something very important or incredibly funny. It would seem that there is absolutely nothing to laugh at:

“It’s good that I’m like this and not some other”,

“There is a secret in a man, called a skeleton”

or let’s say

“Ira pouts and rejoices”,

or “It’s so banal that it’s original” .

Of course, the whole book does not consist of one-liners and couplets, there are more extensive statements of the poet. However, the volume of poems here is completely unimportant (and the poet himself claims that his poems do not need to be read, but must be heard, seen and written). Much more important is the unexpected and witty look, underlined by original fonts and skillful collages by Kolya Filippov.

Impatient Stories. Every single one

Author: Bernard Frio

Illustrator: Ekaterina Peschanskaya

Translator: Asya Petrova

Publisher: KompasGid

Age: 10-14 years old

Frio is a teacher of creative writing, in other words, he teaches other people to compose interesting stories. Frio demonstrated his own skill as a writer in the Impatient Stories collections, which were first published in turn, and then were combined into one large book. Hidden under one cover are 150 short miniature stories about everything, but mostly about children and what they care about: relationships with other people, school, boundaries and the possibilities of the real world.

Frio’s miniatures will remind readers of the work of Harms and short tales by Gianni Rodari, however, in the field of searching for absurd answers to serious questions, who just did not trample! So Frio formulates difficult situations, and then emerges from them with brilliance, reviving another iron or turning a person into a fish. Like that boy whose teacher couldn’t stop screaming put it in a jar of water and was finally able to finish the assignment, read the textbook, and even had time to play.

Ulysses the Fox and the saber-tooth hoard

Author: Fred Adra

Publisher: Rosmen

Age: from 12 years old

The third edition of the fantasy saga, in which four Unfortunates go in search of the Sabertooth Treasure, boasts excellent covers and new episodes that have not been published so far. The book is not positioned as a humorous fantasy, on the contrary, in this universe there are many serious problems and potentially explosive secrets. At the same time, the author is so witty and observant that the text from the category of simply fascinating quickly turns into the category of books that you read to cheer up. On the pages, something like this always sounds: “This way the world will remain completely without cats. Well, who will need such a stupid world, huh? ”, Or:“ And, as you know, tastes differ. They fight for them, fight and hurt each other.”

The heroes of the book are anthropomorphic animals, and each of them presents us with some recognizable type: the noble trickster fox Ulysses, the suffering hypochondriac penguin Eugene, the romantic young and (still) stupid fox Berta and the cowardly rogue cat Konstantin by the end of the story will become almost family creatures. And the end, by the way, will not come quickly, in a series of as many as five books, filled with numerous plot twists and in a good way insane heroes.

Look for even more lists with new cool children’s books in our BOOK SECTION!

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7 hilariously funny books for schoolchildren

Laughter is accompanied by pleasant emotions and therefore we like everything funny. For example, jokes. Have you ever wondered why you find it funny at the end? It turns out that when something unexpected happens in the story, there is a microscopic break in the pattern in our way of thinking. And then new connections are formed between neurons. Thus, the brain develops, for which it encourages us to release endorphins that cause laughter. Simply put, with the help of humor, the human brain evolves more actively. And for a child’s brain, this option is especially important!

Fairy Koltunya and the magic portal, E. Matyushkina

Handwritten notes of a clueless detective and aspiring magician Rabbit about what happened to him. It all started with petty nonsense – stealing a car from Beaver and dangerously riding it down the mountain. And it ended with such large nonsense that it does not immediately fit into the head. To begin with, the Rabbit had to help one very suspicious fairy. And then he himself landed in a magical land! The charming stories of Katya Matyushkina keep the child’s attention just as good as a new Disney cartoon or a bright computer game. And all why? It’s just that there is a lot, a lot of action, unexpected twists, funny situations, bright pictures, unusual tasks and real quests that need to be completed to help the heroes reach their goal.

Big funny book of Pompom the cat, N. Vorontsov

If you suddenly see a sausage on wheels riding along Malaya Spasskaya Street, know that it’s Trundel and Pompom riding on their Murcedes. Hurry up and jump in to them – in the company of these two cats it is never boring! The “Big Funny Book of Pompom the Cat” includes the best author’s coloring books, drawings, funny comics, games, mazes and many other useful activities from the artist Uncle Kolya Vorontsov. With this book the child is 6-9will learn for years: to make things on his own, show tricks, make short cartoons, carol, cat, stick out his tongue and actively use any other ways to support the creative process!

The Magical Losers, Neil Patrick Harris

Fast-paced, full of jokes and hoaxes, Neil Patrick Harris’s story sends readers into the thick of the adventures of a brave team of teen magicians, reveals the secrets of magic tricks and leaves hidden messages that only the most attentive can decipher . .. The English version of the book became a bestseller. Now the work is published in Russian.

About the book

About the book

About the book

Lesson of laughter, L. Kaminsky

There are school teachers in Russian language and literature, in mathematics and geography, physical education teachers and labor workers … And then there is the Teacher of laughter, and he is the only one of his kind. The book “A Lesson in Laughter” includes true stories, ridiculous answers at the blackboard and excerpts from school essays, after which the teacher takes out valerian, and the students begin to hiccup with laughter. The writer Leonid Kaminsky collected and processed them.

Down the magic river, E.Uspensky

Eduard Uspensky’s fairy tale “Down the Magic River” has always been loved by children, but gained incredible popularity after its film adaptation “There, on Unknown Paths” was released. The main value in this edition is, of course, the masterpiece caricature illustrations by Viktor Chizhikov.

Deniskin’s stories, V. Dragunsky

Since Deniska’s Stories first appeared, readers have loved them so much that this book has been reprinted and reprinted. And probably there is no schoolchild who would not know Deniska Korablev, who became his boyfriend for children of different generations – he looks like classmates who get into funny, sometimes ridiculous situations … Our book with popular classic funny stories is decorated with magnificent illustrations of one one of the best illustrators of children’s books – V. Losina.

Children and these

How difficult it is to explain something to a child. Sometimes it seems that he deliberately scoffs and does everything out of spite. What about parents? They do not understand anything and demand all sorts of nonsense! And what if we switch roles for a while, maybe it will help to understand and accept each other? In Grigory Oster’s book “Children and These” children behave like adults, and adults are worse than little children.