Books for Kids - Silly Stories

Check out this list generated by our Youth Services Librarians for the Scotch Plains Public Library's annual summer reading challenge.

Updated May 4, 2023
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Inspector Flytrap
Angleberger, Tom
Paper Book
From husband-and-wife team Tom Angleberger, creator of the New York Times bestselling Origami Yoda series, and Cece Bell, author/illustrator of the Newbery Honor graphic novel El Deafo, comes the start to a funny and clever illustrated chapter-book series about a mystery-solving Venus flytrap....
The terrible two
Barnett, Mac.
Paper Book
It's prankster against prankster in the first book of the hilarious New York Times bestselling series by Mac Barnett and Jory John!   Miles Murphy is known for one thing and one thing only: pranking.   He's the best...
Let's get cracking!
Marko, Cyndi
Paper Book
Kung Pow Chicken is the superhero everyone has been waiting for!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will...
Greetings from witness protection!
Burt, Jake
Paper Book
Nicki Demere is an orphan and a pickpocket. She also happens to be the U.S. Marshals' best bet to keep a family alive. . . . "Jake Burt is a storytelling magician. Partcoming of age tale and part spy thriller, Greetings from Witness Protection could be a...
This book just ate my dog!
Byrne, Richard
Paper Book
When her dog disappears into the gutter of the book, Bella calls for help. But when the helpers disappear too, Bella realizes it will take more than a tug on the leash to put things right. Cleverly using the physicality of the book, This book just ate my dog! is inventive, ingenious, and...
My life as a potato
Costner, Arianne
Paper Book
For anyone who has ever felt like a potato in middle school, this hilarious story about a boy forced to become the dorkiest school mascot ever will have readers cheering! "A grade A, spudtastic (not to mention FUNNY) debut. Arianne Costner sure knows middle school and middle...
Oi Dog!
Gray, Kes
Paper Book
Great, now we've got barbarians!
Eaton, Jason Carter
Paper Book
An untidy kid sets off a pest invasion like no other in this boisterously fun picture book about the perils of messy habits. Playing and having fun is a kid's job, right? Cleaning up is a parent's job, right? Why do grown-ups make such a fuss about tidiness and cleanliness,...
The Chicken Squad
Cronin, Doreen.
Paper Book
Now an animated series on Disney Junior! They're darling. They're daring. They know their shapes! They're chicks on a mission--and on this, their first (mis)adventure, the Chicken Squad launches a galactic backyard expedition. Meet the Chicken Squad: Dirt,...
Tiny tough
Hanlon, Abby
Paper Book
The fifth adventure in the enormously popular Dory Fantasmagory series takes on the tried-and-true theme of childhood friendships, and turns it on its head, Dory-style. When her big sister Violet has friend trouble at school, Dory tries to come to her rescue. But Dory's active...
The good for nothing button
Harper, Charise Mericle
Paper Book
Yellow Bird has a button. It does ... nothing! It is a good for nothing button. Red Bird and Blue Bird are excited to try the button. But when they press it, they discover that the button makes them happy. Happy is something! A flabbergasted Yellow Bird insists the button does nothing. But it sure...
Mother Bruce
Higgins, Ryan T.
CD
Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. When his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings though, he starts to lose his appetite. Even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself...
Lupe Wong won't dance
Higuera, Donna Barba
Paper Book
Winner of the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor Pura Belpré Honor Winner PNBA Award Winner Globe & Mail Best Children's Book of Year Booklist Editor's Choice "Higuera has knocked it out of the park."--Erin Entrada Kelly, New York Times Book Review
Digby O'Day in the fast lane
Hughes, Shirley
Paper Book
Hang on to the wheel for the first of three adventures from a dynamic mother-daughter pair: beloved author Shirley Hughes and talented illustrator Clara Vulliamy. Digby O'Day and Percy are best friends. This daring canine duo can find adventure anywhere -- even entering an All...
Night of the living ted
Hutchison, Barry
Paper Book
This Halloween season discover a new action-comedy series about two kids battling an army of evil teddy bears! What a nightmare! Can they save the day before bedtime? After Lisa-Marie and her big brother, Vernon, visit a Create-A-Ted store, the unexpected happens. ...
Pets on the loose!
Jamieson, Victoria
Paper Book
The class pets at Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary School want OUT . . . and GW (short for George Washington), the deceptively cute hamster in the second-grade classroom, is just the guy to lead the way. But when he finally escapes and goes to find his former partners in crime, Barry and Biter, he...
Something's wrong! : a bear, a hare, and some underwear
John, Jory
Paper Book
A hilarious picture book from #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Bad Seed, Jory John, paired with new illustrator Erin Kraan, about a bear whose friends help him make it through a bad day! Oh-no. Jeff the bear has definitely forgotten something....
The big bed
Laditan, Bunmi
Paper Book
From Bunmi Laditan, the creator of the Honest Toddler blog, The Big Bed is a humorous picture book about a girl who doesn't want to sleep in her little bed, so she presents her dad with his own bed--a camping cot!--in order to move herself into her parents' big bed in his place. A twist on...
It's the end of the world and I'm in my bathing suit
Reynolds, Justin A.
Paper Book
A hilarious new middle-grade from Justin A. Reynolds that asks: What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypse under outrageously silly circumstances? Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius plan ever to avoid chores . . . especially the dreaded L...
Fly on the wall
Lai, Remy
Paper Book
In Fly on the Wall, a moving and hilarious diary-style illustrated novel from the award-winning author of Pie in the Sky, a twelve-year-old boy goes on a (forbidden) solo adventure halfway around the world to prove his independence to his overprotective family.
Grumpy monkey
Lang, Suzanne
Paper Book
The hilarious #1 New York Times bestselling classic picture book about a chimpanzee in a very bad mood--perfect for young children learning how to deal with confusing feelings. Jim the chimpanzee is in a terrible mood for no good reason. His friends can't understand it--how...
Chunky
Mercado, Yehudi
Paper Book
In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican...
Payback on Poplar Lane
Mincks, Margaret
Paper Book
ABC's Shark Tank meets The Terrible Two when a pair of sixth grade entrepreneurs compete to become top mogul on their block. Twelve-year-old Peter Gronkowski prides himself on being a professional businessman. Tired of the cliched lemonade stands that line his block, he...
Neck & neck
Parsley, Elise
Paper Book
In the first stand-alone picture book from the creator of the bestselling Magnolia Says DON'T! books, a giraffe's self-esteem is tested during a hilarious confrontation between unlikely look-alikes! Everybody loves Leopold the giraffe. He inspires awe and wonder. His...
Mistakes were made
Pastis, Stephan.
Paper Book
Want to aspire to greatness? Check out this edition of Timmy Failure's first adventure--featuring the bonus section "How to Draw Timmy and Total." He may be clueless, but the comically self-confident Timmy Failure is CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the...
The Tapper twins go to war (with each other)
Rodkey, Geoff
Paper Book
This bestselling first book in the Tapper Twins series is a hilariously authentic showcase of what it's like to be in middle school in our digitally-saturated world, told as a colorful "oral history" with photos, screenshots, text messages, chat logs, and online gaming digital art.
High five
Rubin, Adam
Paper Book
Discover the lost art of the high five and improve your slapping skills just in time for the annual high five contest! From hand-limbering stretches to lessons on five-ing with finesse, readers are guided through a series of interactive challenges, each goofier than the next. Acclaimed...
Stand up, Yumi Chung!
Kim, Jessica
Paper Book
One lie snowballs into a full-blown double life in this irresistible story about an aspiring stand-up comedian. On the outside, Yumi Chung suffers from #shygirlproblems, a perm-gone-wrong, and kids calling her "Yu-MEAT" because she smells like her family's Korean barbecue...
Wedgie & Gizmo
Selfors, Suzanne
Paper Book
Fans of Stick Dog and My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish will love Suzanne Selfors's hilarious new illustrated series about the growing pains of blended families and the secret rivalry of pets. "A delightfully fun read that will leave you in stitches!"--Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat<...
Chez Bob
Shea, Bob
Paper Book
"A perfect book." -Sandra Boynton, bestselling author From the hilarious author of Who Wet My Pants?, Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great, and the Dinosaur Vs. series comes a kid pleasing favorite about a devious alligator who learns to love! ...
Well, that was awkward
Vail, Rachel
Paper Book
Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can't breathe, can't walk,can't anything-and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking- A.J. But it turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie's beautiful best friend, Sienna...

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