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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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...
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. . . . The marshals are looking for the perfect girl to join a mother, father, and son on the run from the nation's most notorious criminals. After all,...
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...
Inspector Flytrap
Angleberger, Tom
Paper Book
A funny and clever illustrated early chapter book series in the Flytrap Files universe, from New York Times bestselling author Tom Angleberger and Newbery Honor winner Cece Bell!   Meet Inspector Flytrap! He's a Venus flytrap and world-class solver...
Dog on a frog?
Gray, Kes
Paper Book
Frog is turning the rules upside-down in this riotous, rhyming sequel to Frog on a Log?!"You know the rules," said cat. "Cats sit on mats, frogs sit on logs, and dogs sit on FROGS!""Well, I'm changing the rules," said the frog.In this hilarious sequel to Frog on a...
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...
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,...
Dory Fantasmagory
Hanlon, Abby
Paper Book
Move over, Junie B. Jones and Ivy & Bean! Here comes a lovably energetic little sister with a BIG personality--and an imagination to match! As the youngest in her family, Dory really wants attention, and more than anything she wants her brother and sister to play with her. But...
The good for nothing button
Harper, Charise Mericle
Paper Book
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 does seem to be making him mad. Mad is something! The hilarious...
Mother Bruce
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
Bruce is a bear who likes living alone and making fancy gourmet recipes he finds on the internet. But when the goose eggs he's cooking for breakfast hatch, Bruce becomes something new- a mother. The first book in the New York Times bestselling MOTHER BRUCE series,...
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. ...
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...
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 this crowd-pleasing read-aloud from the creator of the bestselling If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't!, a giraffe's self-esteem is tested during a hilarious confrontation between unlikely look-alikes! Everybody loves Leopold the giraffe. He...
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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