There are a lot of funny books, but there aren’t a lot of FUNNY novels. While plenty of stories have made me laugh, chuckle, and—more often than not—push air through my nose in a sigh of approval, it’s hard to sustain laughs over 250 or more pages. And that’s not even considering the subjectiveness of comedy. The number of times I’ve loaned a book to someone, raving that there’s a laugh on every page, only to have them return it with a pained smile is unfortunately not zero.
That’s why I love funny picture books. They’re short. The usual thirty-pages are perfect to either construct a long joke with a huge punchline or to provide several small jokes that don’t fizzle by the end. Plus, let’s be honest: pictures can always punch up a mediocre joke.
So in honor of this week’s Top Ten Tuesday and it’s focus on all things funny, here are ten of my favorite hilarious picture books.
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
by Julia Sarcone-Roach
Goodreads
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
by Janice N. Harrington
illustrated Shelley Jackson
Goodreads
Everybody Says Meow
by Constance Lombardo
Goodreads
Finders Keepers
by Keiko Kasza
Goodreads
I Want My Hat Back
by Jon Klassen
Goodreads
It’s Not All Rainbows
by Jessika Von Innerebner
Goodreads
Monster Trouble!
by Lane Fredrickson
illustrated by Michael Robertson
Goodreads
Pokko and the Drum
by Matthew Forsythe
Goodreads | My Review
Rude Cakes
by Rowboat Watkins
Goodreads
This Book is Gray
by Lindsay Ward
Goodreads
Note: Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Be sure to check out her weekly post to find other participants.
I love this list. I should bookmark it so I can investigate further. My TTT list
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I hope you find a couple of new favorites on here!
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These books look adorable! I don’t read too many picture books now that I’m no longer working at a day care and my kids are older.
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I discovered in college that sometimes I just need to check out a picture book. So many great stories being told in that format!
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I haven’t read a picture book since my youngest turned 10 two years ago 😦 This brings back a lot of fond memories and I wish I had a little one to enjoy these with. I might have to nab one of my nieces or nephews 😀 Happy TTT! Here’s my post: https://www.nbiblioholic.com/2021/03/ten-books-i-want-to-read-by-end-of-may.html
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That’s the thing about picture books: as much as I love them myself, they really are best when you have the chance to share them!
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Ha I love It’s not all rainbows 😀
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Yes! So good.
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I rarely read picture books but I agree there are some hilarious ones out there indeed 😀 Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/upcoming-readathons-and-spring-tbr/
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I took a break from them for a bit, but I’ve been on such a picture book kick lately. So much fun.
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I adore picture books, too!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-on-my-spring-2021-tbr/
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They’re definitely a special style of book!
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These are adorable! I am glad you skipped the TBR theme and used the Funny Titles one instead. I have seen I want my Hat Back doing the rounds, but I didn’t know it was one of the Funny gems too. 🙂 And totally agree on the whole amusing-sometimes-chuckle versus cackling-ROFL-hilarious. I prefer the latter 😀
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Funny you mention it: apparently, I just couldn’t read the schedule for posts this month and had my dates mixed up. And yes! I Want My Hat Back is a ton of fun with such a great joke at the end.
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I haven’t heard of any of these books but I’m loving all of these covers! Some of them already have me chuckling and I don’t doubt they’ll be fun reads 😃 Great list!
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Aren’t the covers pretty great? I love picture book art.
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This post makes me wish my girls were still little!
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
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They really are so much fun to share.
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I love a good picture book, especially when it’s funny! You have some great ones on here.
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Couldn’t agree more! I’ve been on such a picture book kick lately.
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I haven’t heard of many of these but I love picture books! Especially, when they are funny. I will have to check some of these out! Great topic. 🙂
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If you have the chance to check any of them out, I hope you end up loving them! You can never go wrong with a good picture book.
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Thank you so much! Yes, you are so right about that!
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Love this list! I’ve added “Rude Cakes” as a book to pick up for my kiddo at the library. Any books that works on manners is a must read to me, especially with humor and fun added!
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I hope you end up loving it! Rude Cakes is so much fun and just kind of weird.
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Definitely agree that it’s hard to find an actual funny novel that manages to do more than make you chuckle a bit, or push air through the nose in a sigh of approval 🙂 These picture books all look so much fun though!
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It’s why I’m always hesitant to pick up a book with reviews that laud it as laugh-out-loud funny. That’s an awful lot to live up to!
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I Want My Hat Back is a lot of fun. Happy reading!
Lauren @ Always Me
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Love that one! Ridiculously fun.
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I have read so many picture books over the years, yet I have not read any of these, Christopher. I see a few that my grandkids would probably like, so I will investigate further. I always get them a book for Easter, so this is perfect.
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I hope you’re able to find a couple from here! I’d definitely recommend any of them. And what a perfect gift for Easter … though really, when isn’t a book the perfect gift?
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