As a new school year begins, I would like to offer books that can ignite laughter in the classroom and promote a love of reading. I have fond memory of introducing a humour unit into my grade 2/3 classroom many years to launch an integrated approach to learning. I took the initiative to bring in twenty joke and riddle books which provided an authentic independent reading program. I read aloud a funny novel (The Mouse and The Motorcycle) , we read funny pictures (The Dumb Bunnies by Sue Denim (Dav Pilkey) being a favourite, and funny poems (hooray for Dennis Lee and Shel Silverstein), we delved into comics, funny poems, shared funny events of our lives (and our families’ lives) and for homework the students were invited to watch funny television shows and ‘review’ them for their comedic effects. Filtering smiles and laughter into the classroom, I believe was a good thing setting the tone for a ACTIVE JOYFUL LEARNING and putting into action the words featured on a banner that hung in our classroom “Oooo we, ain’t we a-havin’ fun!” (from the picture book, The Dancing Skeleton by Cynthia De felice; Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker)
Of course, what’s funny to one person may not be funny to others and that’s a plus in introducing funny books to children. They either ‘get it’ or not. Some kids may ask “What’s So Funny?” others may share an aha response and laugh out loud. Children’s literature is certainly an important vehicle to tickle the funny bone of young readers, a perfect vehicle to build community and to inspire, motivate and stretch readers of all ages. I offer the following titles hoping they bring smiles and laughter into your classrooms.
AUTHORS OF FUNNY PICTURE BOOKS
Denim, Sue. (aka Dav Pilkey) THE DUMB BUNNIES (series)
Drew Daywalt; Illustrator Oliver Jeffers. THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT (sequel: The Day the Crayons Came Home)
Klassen, Jon I WANT MY HAT BACK (trilogy includes: This is Not My Hat; We Found a Hat)
Litwin, Eric; Illustrator James Dean PETE THE CAT (series)
Rubin Adams; Illustrator Daniel Salmieri. DRAGONS LOVE TACOS (sequel: Dragons Love Tacos 2)
Watt, Melanie. SCAREDY SQUIRREL (series)
Willems, Mo. ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE SERIES (e.g., We Are in a Book) (also: DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS (series)
SOME PICTURE BOOK TITLES
Barnett, Mac; Illustrator Brian Biggs NOISY NIGHT
Haughton, Chris. SHH! WE HAVE A PLAN
Maclear, Kyo; Illustrator Isabelle Arsenault SPORK
novak, b.j. THE BOOK WITH NO PICTURES
Pham, LeUyen. THE BEAR WHO WASN’T THERE
Rosenthal, Amy Krouse; illustrator Tom Lichtenheld DUCK! RABBIT!
SHOUT OUT!
Books that Drive Kids Crazy by Beck and Matt Stanton
- DID YOU TAKE THE B FROM MY _OOK?
- THIS IS A BALL
Check out the cover of this picture book. The premise of this book is that the visual cues do not match the verbal text. One page reads, ‘This is a bike.” and the illustration on the opposite page shows a line drawing of a car. (Ha! Ha!). To test the humour quotient, I visited a grade one class to read the book aloud. The kids howled and howled (really!). (I did too!). A funny book, and not a mention of underwear anywhere. (I have already given copies of this book to my 6 great nieces and nephews.
FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
(Chapter book series)
- IVY & BEAN by Annie Barrow and Sophie Blackall
- BAD GUYS by Aaron Blabey
- MY WEIRD SCHOOL by Dan Gutman (also: My Weirder School)
3 Novel titles (ages 9 -11)
- FLORA AND ULYSSES: THE ILLUMINATED ADVENTURES by Kate Di Camillo
- WORD OF MOUSE by James Paterson with Chris Grabenstein
- ANYTHING BY DAVID WALLIAMS (e.g., Mr. Stink, Demon Dentist, The Boy Who Wore a Dress)
3 Novel titles (ages 12 -14)
- WORD NERD by Susin Nielson
- I FUNNY (Series) James Paterson
- ME & EARL & THE DYING GIRL by Jesse Andrews
And for the grown ups: Anything by DAVID SEDARIS
- BARREL FEVER
- ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY
- DRESS YOUR FAMILY WITH CORDUROY AND DENIM
- LET’S EXPLORE DIABETES WITH OWLS
- THEFT BY FINDING: DIARIES (1977 – 2002)