The Top Ten Laughing Books

A couple of weeks ago, we made everyone sad with our Top Ten Crying Books. We felt that we needed to do something to make you smile, so we are sharing our top ten laughing books. This time around our Kleenex Index is for tears of laughter, instead of tears of sadness. Here are the top ten books that made us laugh the most.

1. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Simply hilarious! What really happened in all those fairy tales we read as children? Christopher Healy tells the “real” story of each Prince Charming and how they came to save their kingdoms. The dry, sarcastic humor, within this story, had me laughing out loud throughout the entire book. If you’re a fan of the slapstick humor in movies and television shows such as, Airplane, The Three Stooges and Police Academy, then I promise you will love this story! – Stephanie Shouldis

Kleenex Index: 4 out of 5 hilarious tears!

2. Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstilskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Who doesn’t love a great fairy tale with butt jokes….I mean Rump jokes included? A creative and inventive story that will have you looking at the classic tale of Rumpelstiltskin in a whole new way. I know my students and I are going to be laughing out loud at this very funny book. – Niki Barnes

Kleenex Index: 4 out of 5 hilarious tears!

3. Bink and Gollie, Two for One by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

Although I read a lot of kidlit, I find I read it more from an adult perspective than a child’s. I appreciate Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid for their appeal to young readers, but my students find them hilarious, while to me they are mildly amusing. Then I read Bink & Gollie, Two For One. Bink and Gollie are the Mutt and Jeff of today- 2 best friends who are complete opposites. This 2nd of 3 in the series tells of their adventures at the state fair. I actually laughed out loud while reading it, and more importantly so did my students. I love the sound of a child’s laughter interrupting an otherwise silent reading time. It’s such a genuine reaction, and all I have to do is look up to see what they’re reading and I know exactly why they are laughing. I love the bond it creates between my students and I. -Allison Jackson

Kleenex Index: 4 out of 5 hilarious tears!

4. A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Grandma Dowdel is a ferocious old woman with a loaded shotgun on hand in case of emergencies. Mary Alice, her granddaughter, is sent to live with Grandma for the year. Along the way, Mary Alice learns a lot about who grandma really is and a lot about herself. You’ll be laughing out loud as Grandma and Mary Alice tarry through adventures through the seasons, which include harvesting pecans, scaring off some naughty neighbors, a wild Christmas program, and a woman screaming and running from Grandma’s attic wearing nothing but a snake. -Dylan Teut

Kleenex Index: 5 out of 5 hilarious tears!

5. Skinnybones by Barbara Park

Alex is a 6th grader who is small for his age AND can’t play baseball worth a flip. But what he does have is a VERY large sense of humor, and I guarantee that you will laugh out loud throughout this book! When he was in kindergarten he even cut out a picture of a leprechaun because well, his teacher told them to find a picture of what they were going to be when they grew up, and with his size…… This is a quick read that will be very easy to sell to your students. Laugh out loud funny I’m telling you!! – Shannon Clark

Kleenex Index: 5 out of 5 hilarious tears!

6. The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

Captain Underpants have been out for 16 years now and Dav Pilkey is only now just writing the finale. This series is a favorite for many reasons, but the biggest is probably because… it is HILARIOUS! The word play, puns, silliness, jokes, and a bit of grossness found in the books will be loved by all kids and even most adults! What I loved about it the most is that the humor was smart and you can tell that Dav Pilkey respects the kids he is writing for. – Kellee Moye

Kleenex Index: 4 out of 5 hilarious tears!

7. Let’s Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems

Students love to interact with the characters in the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems. In LGFAD, Elephant & Piggie set off to go for a drive, picking up unnecessary items along the way. They’re almost ready to go when they realize they do not have one essential item for a drive. A car. Hilarious! -Melody Simons

Kleenex Index: 5 out of 5 hilarious tears!

8. Vordak the Incomprehensible: Rule the School by Scott Seegert

Vordak the Incomprehensible is a self described supervillian who gets stuck in junior high school while locating a new balsoid coil to replace the one he blew in his Abominable Age-Reduction Ray. The book includes characters with peculiar names like Mr. Combover, the principal, or Burfus Waxclog, the janitor, at a school named Farding Junior High. Graphics throughout the book add to the humor of Vordak. Part of Vordak’s appeal is the sarcastic way that he demonstrates how full of himself and his evil powers he is. Students in intermediate grades will be highly amused by Vordak the Incomprehensible. – Kristin Becker

Kleenex Index: 3 out of 5 hilarious tears!

9. We Are in a Book by Mo Willems

Elephant and Piggie always bring entertainment, especially when they realize they are in a book. Piggie realizes that he can get the reader to say what he says outloud while reading and the two of them are really entertained by this (so is the reader!). Just like any Elephant & Piggie book, there is added drama when Elephant realizes that the book will come to an end. The only drawback to this book is that you will have to read it over and over to your children at bedtime (you have to, because Elephant asks you to read it again)! -Jessica Johnson

Kleenex Index: 5 out of 5 hilarious tears!

10. Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis

Move over Diary of a Wimpy Kid, there’ a new kid in town. His name is Failure, Timmy Failure and he is the president and C.E.O. of Total Failure, Inc. (We won’t fail, despite what our name says)- named such after his business partner, Total, a fifteen-hundred pound polar bear who migrated to Timmy’s cat dish after his arctic habitat began melting. Timmy shares his immense knowledge with readers about what it takes to be a detective with some comedic help along the way provided by the trusty sidekick Total. Timmy navigates more than just the mystery of a missing Segway, but also the trials of a horrible teacher, a mother who simply doesn’t understand the value of Total Failure, Inc., and a traitorous best friend who hangs out with “she who shall not be named.” Stephan Pastis has created a recipe for many laughs and tears of joy along the way! -Katie Strawser

Kleenex Index: 5 out of 5 hilarious tears!

Stephanie Shouldis is a middle school intervention specialist in Dublin, Ohio, and life-long Nerdy Book Club member.

Niki Barnes is 2nd grade teacher in Dorr, Michigan, and a proud member of the Nerdy Book Club.

Allison Jackson is a 3rd grade teacher in Arizona and loves connecting with her students through books and laughter.

Dylan Teut is a first grade teacher at Immanuel Lutheran in Illinois among many other responsibilities and a new member of the Nerdy Book Club.

Shannon Clark is a 6th grade teacher at a small school in Alabama. She is passionate about all things running, reading, and teaching and a proud member of the Nerdy Book Club!

Kellee Moye is a middle school reading coach in Orlando, Florida, and is not afraid to giggle while she reads!!

Melody Simons is an Elementary Reading Specialist for the Alta Loma School District, and Nerdy Book Club Member.

Kristin Becker is a mentor to beginning teachers throughout a small rural district along the central Oregon coast. She’s a reader, writer, wannabe photographer, proud mama of Madeline, and member of the Nerdy Book Club.

Jessica Johnson is an Elementary Principal in Juneau, WI, member of the Nerdy Book Club and memorizes all Mo Willems’ books.

Katie Strawser is a third grade teacher in Dublin, Ohio, who loves many things, mainly books and The Nerdy Book Club.