Sometimes you just need to share a good laugh with your kids! A couple of weeks ago, one of the Grab Bag requests I received asked for hilarious picture books that made you laugh out loud. It was such a fun request to fill and I turned to some of my librarian colleagues for more suggestions. Here are some of the top suggested books for when you just need a giggle. Bonus: many of the authors and illustrators in this list have created more funny picture books, so make sure you check out all their titles!
Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barrett. The hilarious pictures in this book demonstrate just exactly why animals should definitely not wear clothing. If you like this one, the same team also wrote and illustrated Lots More Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing.
The Book with No Pictures by BJ Novak. You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except… here’s how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say… BLORK. Or BLUURF. And even if the words include things like BLAGGITY BLAGGITY and MY HEAD IS MADE OF BLUEBERRY PIZZA! This is a super fun readaloud the whole family will find hilarious.
Guess Again! by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex. What’s got soft hair, hard teeth, and ears that do a flop? Can you guess? Are you sure? Well, guess again! This hilarious guessing game will have kids laughing out loud.
Misunderstood Shark by Amy Dyckman, illustrated by Scott Magoon. Shark interrupts the filming of Underwater World With Bob, scattering the other creatures (and the audience), but he claims it is all a terrible misunderstanding — that he would never think of eating the fish, the squid, the audience…or Bob. If you have young ocean lovers in your life, this might be just the thing.
Nothing Rhymes with Orange by Adam Rex. All the fruits gather together and enjoy a rhyming party, but poor Orange feels left out because he does not rhyme with anything–until Apple invents a new word. You’ll notice that Adam Rex has illustrated a couple in this list – he’s a great author and illustrator to seek out if you enjoy funny books.
The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton. Princess Pinecone would like a real war horse for her birthday, but instead she gets… the pony pictured on the cover of this book. She’s looking for a fierce horse, but maybe cuteness can be the most effective weapon. This is a fun, girl power spin on your typical princess story.
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan Higgins. Tyrannosaurs Penelope is starting school for the first time and struggling to remember a very important lesson about friendship: we don’t eat our classmates (even when they taste so good). Ryan Higgins has a bunch of hilarious books, including a second book about Penelope that just came out this year, We Will Rock Our Classmates.
If you love to laugh out loud, pick up any of these picture books for a good time! What other funny books have your kids enjoyed? Feel free to share more suggestions in comments!
