Tag Archives: Humorous Stories

Elem. – Puppy Bus

Posted on by
Reply

Brockington, Drew. Puppy Bus. Abrams Books, 2022. 978-1-419-75191-2. 40 p. $17.99. Grades PK-2.

Puppy Bus begins with a young boy who reluctantly climbs on the bus for his first day at a new school after a big move. He takes his seat… and quickly realizes that he has climbed onto the wrong bus. He’s on the PUPPY BUS!  And where does the puppy bus go!? Puppy school! What to do!? Go to class! But class is strange and confusing, and the food is terrible! The boy begins to miss his old friends and family…and wants to go home–until a friendly puppy offers friendship. Puppy school might not be so bad after all! 

THOUGHTS: Unique to this book is the storyline that the main character is starting a new school after a move (rather than it being the first day of school). This welcome addition to shelves of school stories will bring smiles to young readers’ faces and make the task of going to school seem just a little less daunting (at least they serve people food at school!). Recommended, particularly for schools looking to refresh their school stories shelves and for those looking for a fun welcome for their move-ins!

Picture Book          Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD

Elem. – Mud!

Posted on by
Reply

Bailey, Annie. Mud! Illustrated by Jen Corace. Abrams Appleseed, 2022. 978-1-419-75097-7. 36p. $17.99. Grades PK-2.

Annie Bailey entices young readers to join two siblings as they romp and rhyme their way through a day of outdoor play in… Mud!  Full of imagination and mischief, this book explores mud building, mud cooking, mud fights, and plain mucking about… followed by clean-up time (and maybe a little more mud). Jen Corace’s gouache, pencil, and ink illustrations reflect the book’s spirit of play and adventure, and Annie Bailey’s use of onomatopoeia reflects the muddy world she has created for her characters to explore.

THOUGHTS: This book is pure fun and outdoor exploration… and a welcome reminder that readers can still have fun outdoors even on a soggy spring day (as long as their caretakers tolerate the mess!). Readers will enjoy the word play on the pages with both rhyme and onomatopoeia and the joy the artist portrays adds to the fun. A welcome addition to libraries looking to promote outdoor play or add to their spring collections.  

Picture Book          Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD

Elem. – Bathe the Cat

Posted on by
Reply

McGinty, Alice. Bathe the Cat. Chronicle Books, 2022. 978-1-452-14270-8. Unpaged $17.99. Grades K-2.

Bathe the Cat is a funny rhyming picture book about a family whose grandmother is coming to visit, so they make a list of chores to do. One of those chores is to bathe the cat, which doesn’t make the cat very happy. So the cat spends the rest of the picture book messing the chore list up, so they end up doing things like mowing the floor and mopping the fishes. Finally by the end of the book the chores are done, grandma has come, and the cat escaped their bath. Throughout this book, the reader will love finding the cat and their mischievous ways they mess with the chores.

THOUGHTS: Wonderful picture book with charming illustrations. Definitely a great addition to any elementary collection.

Picture Book          Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Elem. – How to Draw a Happy Cat

Posted on by
Reply

Berlin, Ethan T. How to Draw a Happy Cat. Illustrated by Jimbo Matison. Astra Books for Young Readers, 2022. 978-1-662-64011-7. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

With simple shapes and step-by-step directions, readers will delight in being taught how to draw a happy cat. But when cat’s frown is upside down, what can the illustrator do to make her happy? Maybe a cool t-shirt, a stuffy, or a skateboard will make cat happy. Only for a little while. What else can we try? Maybe some friends will help cat smile. When the friends go on a high flying adventure, trouble ensues, but will cat and her friends end up happy or not?

THOUGHTS: This title offers the perfect opportunity to teach students how to use simple shapes to draw a lot of fun animals and items. Use it as an introductory read aloud before teaching students how to read directions carefully or follow a multi-step process, or as a fun game of predicting what can we try next to make cat smile. Recommended for elementary collections where how to and drawing books are popular.

Picture Book          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – Just Harriet

Posted on by
Reply

Arnold, Elana. Just Harriet. Walden Pond Press. 978-0-063-09204-4. 196 p. $16.99. Grades 3-5. 

Third grade just ended, but summer is not beginning the way Harriet plans. When her mother is put on bed rest until Harriet’s new baby brother arrives, her parents also decide to send Harriet to live with her grandmother for the summer. Nanu lives on Marble Island where she runs a bed and breakfast. Harriet always enjoys visiting Nanu with her parents, but staying alone with her for the whole summer is an entirely different story. As Harriet struggles with adjusting to her new surroundings, she finds a mysterious key in Nanu’s shed. This discovery leads her on an adventure involving an antique dollhouse, her 100-year-old neighbor, and some items from her father’s childhood on the island. Harriet is a boisterous, stubborn narrator with a penchant for lying, and she does not enjoy changes that are out of her control. But, readers will root for her as she copes in her own way with the many unexpected twists her summer takes. 

THOUGHTS: This summer adventure is perfect for readers who are just transitioning to chapter books. Short chapters include at least one black and white illustration. Readers will relate to Harriet’s conflicting emotions about being sent away for the summer but also her excitement about seeing her grandmother and trying to solve the mystery of what the old key opens. 

Mystery          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Elem. – No Nibbling!

Posted on by
Reply

Ferry, Beth. No Nibbling! Roaring Brook Press, 2022. 978-1-250-76241-2. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

Soon after Derwood the goat plants a garden, he finds a tiny bunny hanging around his vegetables. As his plants begin to grow, the bunny (Tabitha) keeps coming back and making comments filled with vegetable wordplay (for instance, saying “lettuce” instead of “let us,” “butternut” instead of “better not,” and “I yam” instead of “I am”). Derwood is incredibly protective of his plants; therefore, he is very grumpy at first and insists that Tabitha does not nibble his plants. However, he soon comes to appreciate Tabitha’s company and even allows her to weed the garden for him. Ultimately, he grants Tabitha’s wish and allows her to nibble on their bountiful harvest. 

THOUGHTS: This is an adorable, humorous tale of friendship. Children will find the characters endearing, and they will delight in all of the silly vegetable puns throughout the story. Use this to spark discussions about gardening and/or tending to friendships, which need to be cultivated much like a garden.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – Up and Down and Other Stories

Posted on by
Reply

Ruzzier, Sergio. Up and Down and Other Stories. Chronicle, 2022. 978-1-452-18339-8. 46 p. $14.99. Grades K-2.

Fox and Chick have returned in this volume featuring three short stories. While Fox and Chick may not seem like obvious friends, they compliment each other–Chick with his enthusiasm and impulsiveness and Fox with his patience and logic. In “Up and Down,” Chick excitedly climbs a tree, only to become too frightened to climb down–will he be there forever or will the always steady Fox be able to figure out a way for him to get down? In “Seventeen Snowflakes” Chick can’t wait for it to snow so he can use his sled. He understandably is disappointed when Fox informs him that it will take more than just a few snowflakes to fall so there is enough snow to sled. In “The New Bookcase,” Fox presents Chick with a present – a book! When Chick laments that he has nowhere to store the book, Fox suggests he build a bookcase. Of course, Chick decides to build one that minute. Each story is told in graphic novel style panels, although the number of panels varies per page–some pages have one panel, others contain as many as four panels.

THOUGHTS: This collection will no doubt hold appeal for early readers who are sure to enjoy the humorous situations Chick seems to get into. Fox and Chick show readers you can be friends with people who are different from you. These stories easily could be included in lessons on friendship and accepting others.

Picture Book          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Elem. – This Book Will Get You to Sleep

Posted on by
Reply

John, Jory. This Book Will Get You to Sleep. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2022. 978-0-374-31130-8. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

A charismatic, orange kangaroo narrates this story with one goal in mind: to get the reader to sleep. He tries many different tactics, most of which are outrageous and hilarious. For instance, he suggests that rumbling monster trucks, blaring car alarms, or screaming electric guitars might make the reader tired. He tries chants, magic tricks, and other strategies until he finally resorts to suggesting that the reader count sheep. There is a problem; however, these sheep are being chased by dragons! When all of the excitement fails to put the reader to sleep, the narrator suggests reading something less fun instead. Bold illustrations and colorful text add to the rowdiness of the story. A humorous tale with a refreshing take on bedtime drama, this book is sure to elicit plenty of laughs from young children. 

THOUGHTS: I love how interactive this book is, inviting readers to answer questions posed by the kangaroo (“You tired yet???” “You asleep yet???” “You dreaming yet???”).  The audience is also encouraged to participate in various chants throughout the story. Pair this with other stories about falling asleep, such as Drew Daywalt’s Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy (2018) or Dev Petty’s I Don’t Want to Go to Sleep (2018). This book quickly will become a bedtime favorite!

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – Eggasaurus

Posted on by
Reply

Wagh, Jennifer. Eggasaurus. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2022. 978-1-534-45006-6. Unpaged. $17.99. K-3.

When Max receives a shipment of dinosaur eggs from Eggasaurus, Inc., his dad tells him he must send them back. However, through a series of miscommunications, Max actually ends up receiving additional dinosaur eggs, gift certificates, and even dinosaur supplies. Ultimately, Max and his dad have to take an alternative approach to dealing with the newly hatched dinosaurs. Written entirely as a series of back-and-forth letters between Max and Eggasaurus, Inc., this comical story will have readers giggling and rooting for Max and his dinosaurs.

THOUGHTS: This would be a great resource to introduce kids to letter writing. Pair it with other classic stories that include letters, such as Drew Daywalt’s The Day the Crayons Quit (2013) or Allan Ahlberg’s The Jolly Postman (1986). Another option would be to hand this story to any dinosaur lover. The hilarious breakdown in communication throughout the story is sure to delight any young reader.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – Mina

Posted on by
Reply

Forsythe, Matthew. Mina. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2022. Unpaged. 978-1-481-48041-3. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Mina is a young mouse who loves solitary pursuits like reading and drawing. She and her father live in a comfortable mouse hole in a “piece of wood.” He likes to surprise her by bringing home guests, which causes Mina some anxiety. After all, the last visitors were stick insects who stole all her books. This time her dad brings home an unusual looking squirrel, and his daughter has her own idea about the identity of the animal. He tells her not to worry, but does become concerned when the creature stops eating. His solution is to bring home two more “squirrels” to keep it company. When this does not help, they call the doctor who quickly figures out that the problem is that “…these squirrels are definitely cats.” This diagnosis leads to panic and a chase. Will the assistance from a surprising source be enough to allow the trio to survive? The author also has created the whimsical drawings done in watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil. Mina is simply adorable, and the illustrations are a joy to see. 

THOUGHTS: Children will enjoy this story, which is a perfect read aloud. There surely will be a lot of laughs and a chorus of “Oh, no’s” as young readers listen to this tale of a smart little mouse and her hapless father. Elementary librarians will not want to miss this one.

Picture Book          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member