If laughter is the best medicine, these books are the cure for the many boiling emotions teenagers go through. Reading is important for every age bracket, but even more-so for children growing into young adults. And while you might be wanting to learn something new through reading, doing so doesn’t need to be serious. That’s where these books come in as life lessons can be gleaned through humor. There are hundreds of books to choose from, but StudyFinds was able to whittle it down to the top five best funny books for teens to read next.
Not only is reading fundamental for children, it also helps them develop into happier and smarter teens. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that reading for 12 hours a week is optimal for youngsters to foster bigger and better brains. The team identified strong links between recreational reading between the ages of two and nine, and performance in memory, speech, verbal learning, and general academic tests. Moreover, young readers exhibited better mental health, with fewer indicators of stress and depression. They demonstrated improved attention spans and fewer behavioral problems such as aggression and rule-breaking, according to clinical scores and reports from parents and teachers.
If teens are stressed after a long day, reading a humorous book can help alleviate it. Researchers from the Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology at the University of Basel say laughing can serve as a source of relief when it comes to dealing with stress. Their study finds even cracking a smile can help ease the negative effects of stress. Sounds like the perfect reason to get a chuckle from a good book.
Are you ready for some laughter in your life? StudyFinds has compiled a list of the best funny books for teens. Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
The List: Best Funny Books for Teens, According to Experts
1. “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews
Topping the list is Jesse Andrews’ classic “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.” “Two friends make a low budget film to cheer up their dying classmate,” writes BiblioCommons. “What starts as serious turns into something hilarious.”
BookBub calls it “the funniest book you’ll ever read about death.” Why? It’s “fiercely funny, honest, heart-breaking — this is an unforgettable novel from a bright talent, now also a film that critics are calling ‘a touchstone for its generation’ and ‘an instant classic.'”
Common Sense Media says the “tale of a dying teen is full of embarrassing comic moments.”
2. “An Abundance of Katherines” by John Green
John Green’s “An Abundance of Katherines” lands second on the list of funny books for teens to read. “Colin Singleton has the uncanny ability to fall in love with girls named Katherine. Unfortunately, he also has the same uncanny ability to get dumped by them. In fact, he has 19 Katherines to his name!” notes TCK Publishing. “After Katherine #19, Colin is on a road trip with his best friend. With $10,000 in his pocket, he sets off to prove ‘The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability’ in order to predict where any given relationship will go and help dumpees everywhere.”
“Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself,” says BookBub.
Goodreads writes, “On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun–but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.”
3. “The Princess Diaries” by Meg Cabot
Many may recognize this story as the inspiration for a certain young Anne Hathaway film. “Mia hides her real feelings as she takes care of her disastrously disorganized mother, until her absent father drops a bombshell: She is actually Princess Amelia of Genovia, a small principality in Europe,” notes Book Trust. “This is not just a story about the fun of dressing up and being chauffeured around, but also a telling social commentary on the challenge of learning how to be true to yourself.”
“This New York Times bestseller follows Mia Thermopolis and the adventures that follow when she finds out her dad is the prince of Genovia,” writes TCK Publishing. “Readers will laugh through all of Mia’s escapades as the new princess of Genovia, as she navigates her complicated relationship with her grandmother (the queen) and the date she wants for the Cultural Diversity Dance.”
Cabot’s book was also the inspiration for the movie with the same name, starring Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway. “Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there’s nothing worse than being a five-foot-nine, flat-chested freshman, who also happens to be flunking Algebra. Is she ever in for a surprise. First Mom announces that she’s dating Mia’s Algebra teacher. Then Dad has to go and reveal that he is the crown prince of Genovia. And guess who still doesn’t have a date for the Cultural Diversity Dance?”
4. “When Dimple Met Rishi” by Sandhya Menon
Sandhya Menon’s “When Dimple Met Rishi” is another must-read for teens. “Hilarious things happen when two Indian-American teens are chosen for marriage by their parents,” writes TCK Publishing. “Dimple Shah has just graduated and is looking forward to a summer program away from her family, and away from her Mamma’s irrational obsession with finding her the ‘ideal Indian husband.’ Rishi Patel’s parents, on the other hand, encourage him to woo a potential wife at the same summer program, and he’s definitely agreeable. Their opposite mindsets will find ways to clash and offer us plenty of laughs in the process.”
This story offers a unique perspective for teens on arranged marriage in Indian culture. “Opposites begin to attract in sweet arranged-union tale,” says Common Sense Media.
BookBub calls it “the rom-com everyone’s talking about!…Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.”
5. “American Panda” by Gloria Chao
Rounding out the top five is Gloria Chao’s “American Panda.” “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. You’ll love this story about a Taiwanese-American girl trying to appease her strict, traditional parents while living her own life,” says BiblioCommons.
“At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies,” writes BookBub. “With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth — that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.”
TCK Publishing explains, “Given how her parents gave up everything for her to have a comfortable life, Mei can’t reveal things about herself that go against their plans. But reconnecting with her estranged brother Xing, who was at odds with their parents for his dating choices, opens Mei’s eyes to the question of how to be herself without challenging her parents’ authority.”
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Sources:
- BiblioCommons
- Book Riot
- BookBub
- Goodreads
- Common Sense Media
- Book Trust
- Epic Reads
- TCK Publishing
- School Library Journal
- Readings
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.