What makes us laugh? Something you don’t expect—like using a hammer made out of rubber to try to pound in a nail. Something out of place—like seeing an elephant taking a stroll in the park. Contrasting things put together—like watching a purple goldfish trying to ride a rickety red bike. When it’s a surprise, you can’t help but giggle!
What a joy to hear your little child’s first belly-laugh! Often all it takes is a game of peak-a-boo to start the smiles. Or a funny sound like paper ripping can make a small child grin from ear to ear. As your child grows, his sense of humor will get more sophisticated and he will start telling jokes and noticing funny things around him. “Look mom, that kitten is trying to catch a bumblebee! Dad, that cloud looks like grandpa’s face!”
Here are some funny books that will make you and your child both laugh:
“Frankie Works the Night Shift” by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Jennifer Taylor. This orange tabby cat is very active in the hardware store at night. Frankie “helps” in his own way and counts as he does his work so there is the added fun of learning numbers. The illustrations, which are a combination of photos and drawing, are hilarious as they show what really happens when Frankie takes over the store.
“The Dog Who Cried Wolf” by Keiko Kasza. A pet dog is bored with his life. Ho hum! But when he reads about the lives of wolves that get to hunt for their food and howl at the moon he wants to join the pack. He runs away, but finds out that it’s much cozier and easier to live at home as a dog.
“Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?” a book with 14 illustrators including Mo Willems, Tedd Arnold, Jerry Pinkney, and Marla Frazee. Each artist was asked to create the answer to that age-old chicken crossing the road question. You’ll see some very funny artwork with varied humor and illustration styles.
“Samantha on a Roll” by Linda Ashman, pictures by Christine Davenier. Samantha puts on some roller skates and flies all over the town, collecting items from each person she side-swipes. She gets a butterfly net, a bridal veil, and then a kite. When she finally gets home she finds out that her mother didn’t even know she was gone!
Family Reading Corner 