Oh No!: Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World by Mac Barnett and Dan Santat (K-3rd)

Some kids are too smart for their own good…and maybe for everybody else’s good. When an overly ambitious little girl builds a humongous robot for her science fair, she fully expects to win first place. What she doesn’t expect is the chaos that follows.

 

Guess Again! by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex (PreK-2nd)

This clever guessing game book is wonderful to share. Bright, colorful images are accompanied by rhyming text in which a question with a seemingly obvious answer is asked…but there are unexpected results.

 

Amazing Cows: Udder Absurdity for Children by Sandra Boynton (K-2nd)

A work of pure obsession, Amazing Cows celebrates cows and offbeat cowness through cow stories, cow poems, cow jokes, and other silly fun. Along the way, expect lively guest appearances by ducks, pigs, and excessive numbers of chickens. There’s a song, “It Had to Be Moo,” and a game, “Find the Hidden Cows.”

 

Jamberry by Bruce Degen (PreK-1st)

Hatberry, shoeberry, in my canoeberry Under the bridge and over the dam Looking for berries, berries for jam They’re off…a boy and an endearing, rhyme-spouting bear, who squires him through a fantastic world of berries. And their adventure comes to a razzamatazz finale under a starberry sky.

 

The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie dePaola (PreK-2nd)

What happens when a sheepish knight and a not-so-fierce dragon fight for the very first time? Well, it’s no ordinary battle since the knight has to go to the castle library to learn about dragon-fighting and the dragon must dig through his ancestor’s things to find out how to fight a knight!

 

Jasper and Joop (Gossie & Friends Series) by Olivier Dunrea (PreK-1st)

Jasper likes to be neat. Each morning he tidies his nest and puts on his cap and bow tie. Joop likes to be messy! Each morning he rumples his nest and musses his feathers. Despite their differences, Jasper and Joop are two very good friends-birds of a feather! But what will happen when one friend gets into trouble with some busy bees?

 

Olivia by Ian Falconer (PreK-2nd)

Olivia is good at lots of things. She can sing 40 very loud songs, she can scare the pants off her little brother, she can reproduce a Jackson Pollock on the walls at home, and she can make a mean sand castle. When her mother tucks her into bed at night, she gives her a kiss and says, “You know, you really wear me out. But I love you anyway.” Olivia is a classic book that’s packed with laughs. There are more Olivia books that are excellent, too.

 

Bark,George by Jules Feiffer (PreK-2nd)

Giggles will abound when George’s mother tells her pup to bark and he meows instead. She patiently explains, “Cats go meow. Dogs go arf. Now, bark, George.” But he quacks! Then he oinks. Then he moos. A very funny trip to the vet reveals the problem, but it’s the last page that delivers the biggest laugh.

 

Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster by Debra Frasier (PreK-3rd)

Sage has misheard and misunderstood one of Mrs. Page’s weekly vocabulary words. Her error leads to a humbling catastrophe: a momentous tragedy, in front of the entire class. Can Sage turn her vocabulary disaster: an event bringing great misfortune, into a triumph: a true success?

 

More Spaghetti, I Say! by Rita Golden Gelman and Mort Gerberg (PreK-2nd)

Minnie loves spaghetti. So much so, that she’s too busy eating it to even play!

 

Timothy Tunny Swallowed a Bunny by Bill Grossman and Kevin Hawkes (PreK-2nd)

In the best tradition of children’s poetry, Grossman has created a delightful short collection of verses. Each poem is accompanied by a witty illustration by celebrated artist Hawkes. From Kevin I Moses, who has seventeen noses, to Walter Lackwards, whose head is on backwards, these poems are full of hilarious characters who will tickle the funny bones of children and adults alike.

 

The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg (K-3rd)

It’s Louis’s birthday and Uncle McAllister has brought him a very special gift: a tadpole all the way from Scotland! Louis can hardly wait for Alphonse to grow into a frog. But it soon becomes clear that Alphonse is not turning into any ordinary frog. First Alphonse outgrows his jar, then the sink, and then the bathtub!

 

Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling (3rd-6th)

How did the camel get his hump? Why won’t cats do as they are told? How did an inquisitive little elephant change the lives of elephants everywhere? Kipling’s imagined answers to such questions draw on the beast fables of India, and they are full of jokes, subtexts, and exotic references.

 

The Alphabet from A to Y With Bonus Letter Z! by Steve Martin and Roz Chast (PreK-2nd)

This celebrity alphabet book is just plain funny. The wacky rhyming book delivers new tidbits of humor upon each reading with the strangest cast of goofy characters.

 

When Lightning Comes in a Jar by Ernest L. Polacco and Patricia Polacco (K-4th)

When Tricia’s aunts, uncles, and cousins arrive at her house for an annual family reunion, the fun really begins. And this year, gramma has promised to teach the children something wonderful: how to catch “lightning” in a jar. Inspired by her own family, Patricia Polacco beautifully depicts an endearing family reunion.

 

The Piggy in the Puddle by Charlotte Pomerantz and James Marshall (PreK-2nd)

Pomerantz’s tongue-twisting nonsense is made even funnier with James Marshall’s exuberant illustrations. We’ve read our copy so much the spine ripped apart.

 

Have You Ever Seen A SNEEP? by Tasha Pym and Joel Stewart (PreK-2nd)

The boy in this book is trying to enjoy a day out, but every time he turns his back, the Sneep and its nutty friends sneak up and spoil his fun. This hilarious story, illustrated in a whimsical style, features five naughty creatures and one adorable hero.

 

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld (K-2nd)

Two unseen characters argue over the identity of the creature at the center of this book—is it a duck or is it a rabbit? So what do you think: Is it a duck or is it a rabbit? Everyone is sure to have an opinion.

 

I Scream, Ice Scream: A Book Of Wordles by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Serge Bloch (PreK-2nd)

What do “I Scream!” and “Ice Cream!” have in common? Nothing—besides the fact that they sound the same! The ever-surprising Rosenthal unleashes her prolific wit in this silly and smart book of wordplay. Perfectly complemented by equally clever illustrations from the internationally renowned Bloch, this mind-bending book will have young readers thinking about words in an entirely new way!

 

Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein (PreK-3rd)

From the legendary writer comes an unforgettable new character in children’s literature. Welcome to the world of Runny Babbit and his friends Toe Jurtle, Skertie Gunk, Rirty Dat, Dungry Hog, Snerry Jake, and many others who speak a topsy-turvy language all their own.

 

He Came With the Couch by David Slonim (PreK-3rd)

Sophie’s family has found the perfect couch, but it comes with something extra, and getting rid of that extra something is impossible. In the end, though, who would want to? This zany tale of upholsterosis (a chronic state of couch-potato-ness) is sure to tickle the funny bones of young readers and not-so-young-readers, too!

 

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein (PreK-2nd)

It’s time for the little red chicken’s bedtime story—and a reminder from Papa to try not to interrupt. But the chicken can’t help herself! Whether the tale is Hansel and Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood or even Chicken Little, she jumps into the story to save its hapless characters from doing some dangerous or silly thing. Now it’s the little red chicken’s turn to tell a story, but will her yawning papa make it to the end without his own kind of interrupting? Awarded a 2011 Caldecott Honor.

 

Ol’ Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein (PreK-1st)

In Caldecott Honor winner Stein’s lively tale Ol’ Mama Squirrel has raised lots of babies, and she knows just how to protect them. Whenever trouble comes nosing around, she springs into action with a determined “Chook, chook, chook!” and scares trouble away. Her bravery is put to the test, however, when a really big threat wanders into town and onto her tree. But no matter what, Mama’s not about to back down!

 

Wilbur’s Adventure: A Charlotte’s Web Picture Book by E. B. White (PreK-2nd)

When Wilbur, the most lovable pig in children’s literature, attempts to explore life beyond the boundaries of Zuckerman’s farm, the other animals in the barnyard have lots of advice for him. It’s only when Mr. Zuckerman uses the old pail trick and lures Wilbur back home with the irresistible aroma of warm slops that Wilbur decides to stay.

 

There Is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems (PreK-3rd)

The story is as simple as the title suggests but it’s Willems’s uncanny ability to capture facial expressions and body language that makes the relationship between his anxious elephant and happy-go-lucky pig so irresistibly funny. Gerald discovers that there is something worse than a bird on your head—two birds on your head! Can Piggie help her best friend?

 

The Flying Dragon Room by Audrey Wood and Mark Teague (PreK-3rd)

Unaware that Mrs. Jenkins is polishing up her set of magical tools in the backyard, young Patrick finds himself in a fantastic world of imagination in which he comes face-to-face with such incredible items as a bubble machine and a friendly dragon.

 

King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood and Don Wood (PreK-3rd)

In this delightful story, the king refuses to leave his bathtub and rule the kingdom.

 

The Napping House by Audrey Wood and Don Wood (PreK-1st)

This delightful cumulative rhyme set in the napping house includes a granny, a child, a cozy bed, and a menagerie of animals. Awards: ALA Notable Children’s Book, New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, Golden Kite Award winner, California Young Reader Medal winner, Booklist Editors’ Choice

 

Silly Sally by Audrey Wood (PreK-1st)

Dance a jig with a silly pig. Play leapfrog with a silly dog. Come along and join Silly Sally and her outrageous friends as they parade into town in a most unusual way.

 

The Princess and the Dragon by Audrey Wood (K-3rd)

When a princess who behaves like a dragon meets a dragon who behaves like a princess, who knows what will happen!

 

Sweet Dream Pie by Audrey Wood and Mark Teague (PreK-2nd)

Imagine a pie made of chocolate, gumdrops, licorice — and every sweet ingredient you love.

 

Superfudge by Judy Blume (2nd-6th)

Nothing is easy for 12-year-old Peter Hatcher. His younger brother, Fudge, is bad enough. But now there’s a new baby coming and the family is moving to Princeton. Fans young and old will laugh out loud at the irrepressible wit of Peter Hatcher and the hilarious antics of mischievous Fudge. There are four other books in this excellent series by Judy Blume.

 

School!: Adventures at the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School by Kate McMullan and George Booth (3rd-6th)

Welcome to the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School, where you will experience a week in the life of an exceptional group of characters. There’s the principal, Miss Ingashoe, and her secretary, Ms. Cecelia Seeyalater, teachers Mr. Hugh da Mann and Mrs. Doremi Fasollatido, and students Abby Birthday, Sid Down, Viola Fuss, Dewey Haveto, and many more!

 

A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff (3rd-6th)

Told from multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever.

 

Timmy Failure by Stephan Pastis (3rd-6th)

Take Timmy Failure: the clueless, comically self-confident CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation. Add his impressively lazy business partner: a very large polar bear named Total. Throw in the Failuremobile: Timmy’s mom’s Segway. And what you have is Total Failure, Inc., a global enterprise destined to make Timmy so rich his mother won’t have to stress out about the bills anymore. Of course, Timmy’s plan does not include the four-foot-tall female whose name shall not be uttered. And it doesn’t include Rollo Tookus, who is so obsessed with getting into “Stanfurd” that he can’t carry out a no-brainer spy mission.