Books that Make You Laugh

There a was post recently on another topic about YA books usually being unhappy, serious problem novels (my words). I love to read books that are funny, but it has been my experience that not many of the students I work with do. I would love to here comments about why you think this is the case and suggestions for funny books.

Some books that I have tagged as LOL or have thought to be funny include the following...

Lamb: the gospel according to Biff by Christopher Moore
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Flush by Carl Hiaasen
Vegan, Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler
The Earth, My Butt and other big round things by Carolyn Mackler
Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Absolutely, positively not by David LaRochelle

I know I have read more and I am sure you have to.

I've heard so much praise of Lamb: the gospel according to Biff that I think I better find myself a copy of it soon, it seems to be highly loved, with a 4.46 rating and all!
For me, my favourite funny books have always been books written by Gordon Korman. Son of Interflux and Our Man Weston have the ability to make me laugh every time I read them. His books are sort of young maybe, (written about high school students, so probably aimed at an audience slightly younger than high school or just entering it?) but then again, his Son of the Mob is more definitely aimed at teenagers.

Edited to add that I didn't see this thread when I replied to the Glass Castle one, so to recap my post there I said that maybe teens like sad books better because it's a whole lot easier to write a decent unhappy book than a really laugh out loud funny one, because humour is different to everyone, while sadness strikes everyone more evenly.

Kira: I agree with your Gordon Korman statement. My favourite of his is Losing Joe's Place, which still makes me laugh even though I've read it at least 5 times.

This thread is new...I created in response to your comments on the other discussion thread.

I haven't read Gordon Korman, but it looks like I should try. Another author I find somewhat funny, but not LOL funny is David Lubar.

For my lower-reading-level junior high kids, I recommend I, Jack by Patricia Finney. But, heck, I'd recommend it to anyone. It is a HOOT! The story is told by Jack, a yellow lab - aka by the cats: Big Yellow Stupid. He tells of his adventures in a mixture of "dog language" and a variety of print fonts that makes the page visually interesting as well as mentally captivating. There is just enough grossness and "naughty" stuff to appeal to the junior high mind, without going overboard. I read it aloud to my 7th graders, and we were all "howling"!!

I find both Thieves & Kings by Mark Oakley and Bone by Jeff Smith laugh-out-loud funny. They're graphic novels with a distinct YA-feel, though I'm not sure that either is marketed as YA.

I've always loved Terry Prachett, but some of his humor might be above kids' heads.

Ex. "Why the name Legitimate though?"
"His mother was just so proud."

And this isn't an YA selection, but "Good Omens" is hilarious!

The Gospel According to Larry
The Rise of Lubchenko
Prom
King Dork
The Schwa was here
24 Girls in 7 Days

Oh I too loved Terry Pratchet, or the few I have read... It seems to me he wrote a few series' for children if I can recall them...

Confessions of a Closet Catholic is one of my recent finds, as far as YA humor goes. And for younger readers I really like the Chet Gecko Series by Bruce Hale

urgh!! stupid touchtones no loading!!

Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe is really funny. I laughed all the way through, especially at the footnotes. The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathon Stroud is really funny as well.

I'm in the middle of Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and I've been surprised at how funny it is! Lots of clever little one-liners and asides.

I think there's a middle ground between unhappy, serious problem novels and funny novels. I agree that if you're only considering those two extremes then the good serious ones may be more widely liked, because different people have very different senses of humour.

But most of my favourite YA books fall into neither of those categories, and I'm personally not at all a fan of the typical teen problem stories. I think it's just the realistic books that tend to be either funny or focused on serious teen issues. If the setting is intrinsically interesting (fantasy, or historical fiction, or science fiction, or any world with supernatural elements) then the story can work on its own without lots of humour or drama.

SheReads, what particular books did your students like and dislike?

I agree that it's not an either/or situation. For example, Tamora Pierce's books are a mixture of serious and funny (but then, they're not realistic...they're fantasy).

Some of my favorite funny YA books are by The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede, also fantasy.

More often then not the students I know will pick-up a realistic fiction book that is "in between" funny and a serious problem novel. Many of the students like Sarah Dessen or John Green for example. I would say if I didn't stick to the realistic fiction genre hands down the genres that are most picked up is fantasy or sci-fi.

Yeah, fantasy and sci-fi are also very popular with a lot of people, I think, as an alternative to realistic books. Perhaps we could have a month coming up for sci-fi or fantasy, considering most of the books we have discussed so far have been more realistic (aside from Sorcery & Cecilia)... And often fantasy/sci-fi is neither funny nor serious, which is a nice change....

I love those Enchanted Forest Chronicles too, bluesalamanders!

I just read Dairy Queen, and I think it does a pretty good job of being a realistic novel that falls in between serious and funny -- it made me laugh out loud at times, but the author is definitely not afraid to tackle (pun somewhat intended, read the book) the big issues.

foggidawn--that is so true, I completely agree with your assessment of Dairy Queen and it didn't occur to me until just now!

Not that these need publicity, but I always laugh aloud at the Harry Potter books.

And I found The Bartimaeus Trilogy hilarious. Also The End of the Beginning by Avi (a story of a small snail and an even smaller ant). I don't know if that's YA, but it's quite funny.

#9, Pratchett has written several YA titles, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, Wee Fee Men, A Hat Full of Sky, and I think a few others. They are indeed funny stuff.

#19, totally agree on The Bartimaeus Trilogy, often I found myself laughing outloud at Bartimaeus' footnotes.

Zannybuck: I completely agree with both The Bartimaeus Trilogy and Terry Pratchett. Both are fantastic, and I read them whenever I need a good laugh. Or just a great book.

I own The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents but haven't read it. I aim to some day.

Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay is my favourite laugh out loud book. especially when Caddy is driving for the first time and Rose is holding up signs in the back window to the other drivers saying things like "be nice! Do not hoot!"

All of McKay's work is very funny actually, The Exiles makes me laugh a lot too, although in a different way.

She's not as recognised as I think perhaps she ought to be, although I think Saffy's Angel won or was nominated for a big prize.

Jennie

Catherine, Called Birdy was hilarious... By Karen Cushman.

Girl, 15, Charming But Insane made me laugh, but it was horribly cliched and same old otherwise.

Never Mind: a twin novel by Avi was pretty darn funny, I have to admit.

Harry Potter, as well.

And Garfield, I mean, comics are nice too? XD

The Year of Secret Assignments is another title that falls into this category. There's some serious issues as the friends try to deal with their bizarro pen pals, but in between some scary and critical moments, the book is hilarious. I only wish that the author hadn't used as much profanity; it really doesn't add to the book and makes it a controversial choice for school libraries.

I haven't actually read The Year of Secret Assignments (yet). But I think it would be more unreasonable not to use profanity, because then it just wouldn't be natural teen speech... Swearing doesn't add to a book, but it makes it seem less perfect and more realistic often. After all, swearing certainly doesn't add to conversation either but people still swear all the time.

Jane Green:
Jemima J
Straight Talking
Mr. Maybe

Sophie Kinsella - ALL her books.

Blart!
One of the funniest book I've ever read

The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 had me laughing up a storm, which was a problem because I was reading it at work while I was in library school. I also agree with others about Dairy Queen, plus I got a good laugh out of The Gospel According to Larry and Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie .

Bud, Not Buddy was hysterical.

I laughed at Looking for Alaska. I also enjoyed the dark humor in Speak.

I Love you Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle very funny for the older teenager.

I just finished A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon and really liked this author's subtle wit and intelligence.

I found Burger Wuss by M.T. Anderson funny. And Alice, I Think by Susan Juby was by far one of the most laugh out loud books I've read in awhile.

#29 I too loved Bud not Buddy. It was hysterical and heart breaking. When he tried to drive off in the car and the man thought he was going to be in that town alone after dark. Just hysterical.

I like Surviving the Applewhites.

I thought The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty was funny, but Feeling Sorry For Celia was even funnier. Real LOL moment :)

IMO between Feeling Sorry for Celia and The Year of Secret Assignments another one by Jaclyn Moriarty--The Year of Secret Assignments is funnier. I have not read The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie yet. Is it still funny, just not as funny?

The Obnoxious Jerks by Stephen Manes makes me laugh a lot. Gordon Korman is also excellent, but I would argue that his best book by far is A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag.

#36 The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie was the first book i ever read by Jaclyn Moriarty so it was a totally new and funny. But, yeah, i thought Feeling Sorry For Celia was funnier. I havn't read The Year of Secret Assignments but i'll put it on my TBR list.

Finding Lubchenko and the sequel Rise of Lubchenko always make me laugh. And Son of The Mob and Got Fangs?. Pretty much anything by Katie Maxwell is funny.

All Things great and small by James Herriot

totally laugh outloud funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harris and Me, by Gary Paulson has been one of my absolute favorite books for laughing!

pagan's crusade by Catherine Jinks. :D Pagan is just so snarky. It's quite sad too but it's also funny.