Making your kids laugh is one of the best forms of entertainment. Sure, there are plenty of movies and shows that will have them laughing out loud, but if you’re looking to improve vocabulary, inspire imagination, and bring on the humor, books are the way to go! With a wide selection of excellent children’s books, it isn’t hard to find a great book to read aloud to your children. But if you want to cause giggles, our list of the best funny books for kids will have your little ones truly belly-laughing!
It is a well-known fact that reading can help kids improve their language skills. According to a recent study, reading has also been shown to improve mental health. The study reveals that children who are avid readers and will pick up a book just for fun tend to develop into happier and smarter teenagers.
The health benefits of reading don’t stop there! Another study suggests kids who read a lot are likely happier, more physically active, have a more active imagination, and even problem-solve better than kids who rarely or never read. If you have trouble getting your child to open a book, maybe a funny story will do the trick!
With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best funny books for kids. Our team at StudyFinds researched several expert sites to find the top seven most hilarious reads. These are sure to give both you and your little ones the chuckles! Do you know other titles that will make us laugh out loud? Let us know in the comments!
The List: Best Funny Books for Kids, According to Experts
1. “The Book with No Pictures” by B.J. Novak
The great thing about this book, and many others on our list, is children of all ages can enjoy it. Given the plethora of silly words and whimsical sentences, what this book may lack in pictures, it makes up for in entertainment!
Brightly writes, “Before you ask, yes, there really are no pictures in this kids’ book. The author, B.J. Novak from ‘The Office,’ admits upfront that a book with no pictures might seem ‘boring’ and ‘serious,’ but he quickly reveals how much power words actually have. ‘Here is how books work,’ he tells us, ‘Everything the words say, the person reading the book has to say.’ And Novak has a lot of fun making the reader do just that, writing lines like ‘Ba-Dooongy Face!’ and ‘I am a monkey who taught myself to read.’ It’s a genius concept and your kids will love watching you submit to the book’s fiendishly funny whims.”
“‘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,” adds PureWow.
According to Common Sense Media, “‘The Book With No Pictures’ is a very funny book that asks the reader to say all sorts of silly things to prove that a book with only words can be fun and entertaining. A fantastic choice as a read-aloud. Get ready for giggles and guffaws.”
2. “Interrupting Chicken” by David Ezra Stein
This bestseller became a Caldecott Honor book in 2011 for its charming story and bright illustrations. The book shows that interrupting, albeit impolite, can be humorous, especially through the eyes of a small chicken and her Papa! Teaching Expertise says, “Told as a bedtime story for a chicken, this hilarious children’s book is about the chicken always interrupting as Papa reads her bedtime story. When it is her turn to read, will Papa interrupt her, too?”
“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,” adds PureWow.
Brightly notes, “This book, all about bedtime reading, might actually be too funny to read at bedtime.” As the little chicken is being read a story, “she can’t stand to watch her beloved fairy tale characters make mistakes. So she interrupts and interrupts and interrupts — all in an attempt to rewrite her favorite stories. Stein’s book shows kids that being an active participant in storytelling can be both exciting and very, very funny.”
3. “Finders Keepers” by Keiko Kasza
Who knew a hat could become so many different things? This funny read includes a tiny hat, an adventure, and a trove of sweet characters that will make you giggle! “In this silly circular picture book, a red hat travels from place to place as the wildlife in the area try to claim the object,” writes Book Riot. “Of interest especially for pre-K and kindergarten readers, this funny book begs for rereads as each time kids will notice something new in Keiko Kasza’s clever story and amazing illustrations.”
Maya Smart says through this book, “cute woodland creatures meet silly scenarios—all topped by a witty twist at the end. Squirrel uses a little red hat to mark the place where he’s buried his acorn. But when the wind blows the hat away, the other animals all want a piece of it, using it as everything from a nest, to a boat, to a clown nose. A great choice for younger readers, who will be tickled by the hat’s adventures and its temporary keepers alike, and will laugh along with the comedic suspense and repeated refrain.”
“Wherever the hat lands, whether on a tree branch, stream, or flowerbed, someone immediately knows what to do with it and cries, ‘Finders, keepers!’ This endearing circular tale’s hilarious sights and witty plot twists will thrill children. A funny and heartwarming story about a hat that is more than just a hat,” explains SplashLearn.
4. “I Don’t Want to Be a Frog” by Devorah Petty
In this cute and hilarious book, Frog learns is having an identity crisis. There may be many things he’d rather be, but in the end he finds it’s best to be himself. This funny story teaches about self-acceptance while still inviting the giggles! Book Riot states, “Frog would give anything to be something else, much to the chagrin of his weary father. When a wolf with a hearty appetite and no taste for frogs shows up, Frog decides maybe it’s better to embrace who he is. Readers and parents will get a kick out of this story about loving who you are.”
“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,” writes PureWow.
SplashLearn concludes, “The frog doesn’t want to be a frog. He would much rather be a bird, a rabbit, or even a worm. But as he embarks on a journey to find out what it is like to be each of these animals, he discovers that maybe being a frog isn’t so bad after all. This funny and relatable story is perfect for teaching kids to be content with who they are.”
5. “President Taft Is Stuck in the Bath” by Mac Barnett
For whatever reason, there’s something so comedic about a person being stuck in a bathtub. So, why not an American President? Mac Barnett created a bestseller with this story that brilliantly teaches kids about Government officials in such a hilarious way, they won’t even realize they’re learning!
According to Teaching Expertise, “Laughter makes everything better. Why not include laughter in the learning process? This nonfiction picture book tells the story of President Taft and his mishap of getting stuck in the bathtub. This humorous story is perfect for elementary school.”
“Learning about U.S. presidents has never been so fun,” exclaims epic! “In this wildly funny story, kids will lose it over the hilarious illustrations and narration. They’ll follow the famously statured head of state as he enlists everyone from the First Lady to the Secretary of Agriculture to get him out of the bath.”
Adding that this book is “ideal post-bath-time reading material,” Brightly mentions, “William H. Taft is every child’s favorite U.S. President. Or, at least, he becomes their favorite president once they hear the urban legend that, because he was so hefty, Taft actually once got stuck in a White House bathtub. Barnett and Van Dusen turn Taft’s woes into a laugh-out-loud comic caper with the whole government doing their best (and failing) to get the poor president unstuck.”
6. “Grumpy Monkey” by Suzanne Lang
Sometimes we all get in a bad mood for no reason. So, when Jim is in a bad mood, he isn’t amused when everyone tries to cheer him up. This book makes controlling our emotions a normal and sometimes funny part of being human.
“In this story, we meet Jim Panzee, a monkey who wakes up one morning and finds everything to be perfect: the sky so blue and the bananas too sweet. How can one feel sad on such a day? Well, Jim can and is grumpy about everything. His animal friends ask him the reason, but Jim Panzee does not answer, staying in denial of his grumpiness. The book uses funny illustrations and text to carry the story till the end where we learn the real reason behind Jim’s grumpiness,” claims Mom Junction.
“When Jim is in a horrible mood, his friends don’t know why and try to cheer him up. This chimpanzee is not in the mood for that. A great book for talking through emotions and feelings, this comical children’s book is a big hit,” states Teaching Expertise.
“When Jim Panzee wakes up in a bad mood and tries everything to change his outlook, it isn’t until he sits with his grumpiness that it begins to pass,” explains Common Sense Media. “Illustrator Max Lang’s images bring warmth and fun to the page, and are just as much a part of the message for kids learning to manage their emotions.”
7. “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt
Last on our list is the comical story of crayons going on strike. Who knew crayons could be so funny? This book reveals the woes of being crayons from their perspective. As you discover the hilarious truth behind each color’s complaint, this read will have you and your kids laughing out loud!
Mom Junction writes, “One day, a young boy named Duncan discovers that all his crayons have left the box. Instead of the crayons, there is a pile of letters inside the crayon box. Each letter is a complaint from each crayon. The red crayon complaints that he needs rest since Duncan makes him work more. The purple crayon is unhappy that most of his color goes outside the lines. And so on, each crayon has a silly reason for quitting.”
“A vivid and playful exploration of color, creativity, and challenging expectations, this book cleverly flips typical picture book perspectives and storytelling conventions with highly amusing results,” adds Maya Smart. “Duncan just wants to draw. But what he finds, instead of his crayons, are messages—each one written by… a different color, complaining of the hardships, slights, and rivalries upsetting them. Red is overworked, beige is woefully underused, and black only ever gets chosen to be the outline of things. Yellow and orange both believe they are the true color of the sun. How will Duncan resolve his crayons’ unhappiness? A longer read with lots to linger over in both text and illustration, this satisfyingly comical story is likely to appeal to younger and older readers time and again.”
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Sources:
- epic!
- Brightly
- Book Riot
- PureWow
- SplashLearn
- Maya Smart
- Mom Junction
- Teaching Expertise
- Common Sense Media
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.