Some Funny Books for Read Across America Day
Today is National Read Across America Day, so I thought I'd bring you some lighthearted books to infuse some fun into your homeschool. By no means is this an exhaustive list - it just includes books my family has enjoyed that are worth sharing with others.
Fun read-aloud picture books
These titles are meant to be read aloud to younger kids (ages 4-8), but older kids and adults will enjoy them as well.
Guess Again! by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex - a super fun read-aloud with a killer page turn concept that keeps the gag going through the whole book.
There Might Be Lobsters by Carolyn Crimi and Laurel Molk - a humorous approach to the all-too-serious struggle of anxiety. Good for adults, too.
We Want a Dog by Lo Cole - a rhyming, hilarious story of what kind of dog the narrator wants. My youngest loved this one so much that I got him a copy for Valentine's Day. (Note: this book does include brief mentions of normal bodily functions, so if that isn't your cup of tea, you may want to skip this one.)
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers - a boy's struggle to get his kite out of a tree spirals out of control, making each attempt more ridiculous.
No Pants! by Jacob Grant - if any of your children struggled with wearing clothes, you will laugh from beginning to end. Another favorite in our house.
Fun audiobooks for younger kids
I'm someone who struggles with vocal fatigue, so I rely on audiobooks to do some of the reading aloud in our house. Here are some fun favorites.
The Cat in the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites and Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings of Dr. Seuss by Dr. Seuss - it seems appropriate to mention these since March 2 is Dr. Seuss's birthday, and the reason they chose the day as Read Across America Day. These collections are amazing because they contain about ten stories in the collection, and each story is read by a famous actor. We bought these through Audible, and they have been used over and over again.
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and LeUyen Pham - there are 9 books in the series now. You can buy collections of books 1-3 and 4-6, but 7, 8, and 9 are still sold separately. This series is perfect for kids (both boys and girls!) who love super hero antics, and there is enough wit and charm to entertain parents.
The Mercy Watson series and The Tales of Deckawoo Drive series by Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen - Mr. and Mrs. Watson treat their pig, Mercy, like their child in this hilarious series. The Mercy Watson series has 6 books, each about 20 minutes long. The Tales of Deckawoo Drive are stories following side characters and run longer at about an hour each. Eugenia Lincoln is one of the best characters in all of children's literature :)
Fun lower middle grade novels (for ages 8-12)
These can be read aloud or independently.
Frindle by Andrew Clements - a book that explores the power of word-of-mouth.
The Wayside School books by Louis Sachar - this series put wacky on the map!
The Fenway and Hattie series by Victoria J. Coe - this series is written from the viewpoint of a dog in the funniest way. To give you an idea, the mom character is known as "Food Lady" and the dad character is known as "Fetch Man."
Fun upper middle grade novels (for ages 10-14)
These can be read aloud or independently.
The Unteachables by Gordan Korman - a story about an eighth grade class composed of kids that the system has ignored. With crazy antics and unlikely friendships, this is a story of redemption. We really enjoyed this one on audio.
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt - this is one of my favorite books of all time. Both funny and poignant, this book will make readers laugh while also exploring serious topics amidst the back drop of the Vietnam War.
The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry - this book is kind of a dark horse among the others listed, but it's witty and fun and worth sharing. (Plus, the kids may know about it, because now it is a Netflix series. But I can't speak to the TV series, because I've not seen it!)
Do you have any funny books your family loves? I'd love to hear about them. I'm always a fan of funny!
