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Find out moreFull of the funniest new books, this section has laugh-out-loud fiction, joke books and stories to make you smile. Most of our featured books have expert reviews and the first chapter to download to help you choose your next read.
The hilarious follow-up to Weirdos vs Quimboids finds Lucy Perkins and Fiona Littledown (school slangers and total quimboids) have formed their own band, Perkitits. Then there’s Bumskulls - their music is brilliant and their frontman, Vince, is one dangerously sexy mancake. Amidst a churning whirlpool of love, war and music, can Blossom keep her eyes on the prize and off Vince’s sexy manface?
In a nutshell: laugh-out loud adventures with the boy who can’t lie Poor Beaky Malone’s life was thrown into chaos when an encounter with the mysterious Madame Shirley robbed him of his ability to tell a lie, making school and home life a minefield. In this latest adventure he has some particular challenges to meet: first, in pre-unable-to-lie days, he’d entered his dog into TV’s Most Talented Pets, claiming Destructo could ride a bike; plus he’s got the starring role in the school play – Romeo and Juliet with Aliens – playing opposite his crush Evie. In Barry Hutchison’s capable hands everything that can go wrong does, and a whole lot of other things too. It makes for first-rate, top-speed situation comedy, the laughs coming not just because of the silly set-up but because we actually care for and sympathise with Beaky too. An honest-to-goodness treat for readers! Readers who laugh at Beaky will also enjoy Frank Cottrell Boyce’s The Astounding Broccoli Boy, My Brother is a Superhero by David Solomons or The Person Controller by David Baddiel. ~ Andrea Reece
Interest Age 9-12 Reading Age 8+ The Weirds are a most unusual family in every way; mum is a stunt woman, dad is a scientist with a habit of blowing big things up and gran is just a little bit magical. And then there are the children…Three hilarious stories about the very unusual things the Weird’s get up and how they affect everyone around them – especially the Primms who have the misfortune to live next door. Meet the Weirds is the first in a trilogy - the second is Wildly Weird and the third is Weird Happenings - and there are extracts available for all three!
It’s time for the school play and two little people have their hearts set on starring roles. Little rabbit Olivia and young rhino Sam are both practising day and night and, sure enough, they get the best parts in ‘The Princess, the Knight and the Dragon’. Unfortunately, neither is happy. Olivia wanted to be the knight, not the princess, and playing the knight means that Sam won’t get to do any dancing. Fortunately, these two young performers are smart enough to work out ways to adapt their roles to suit their talents. Olivia and Sam are very endearing characters and their determination to be true to themselves will have all audiences applauding. A thoroughly entertaining picture book that delivers an important and empowering message.
We all have feelings and, as parents, it’s very important to discuss or explain them to young children. Katie Abey’s book is an excellent means to doing just that. Over bright, lively and inviting double page spreads, a host of friendly animals demonstrate different feelings, the ones that make us feel good and those that do the opposite. Short accompanying text explains what’s happening and asks questions, ‘when do you feel calm?’ or ‘do you sometimes feel shy?’ It’s a simple but clever way to open relaxed and meaningful conversations about feelings and explain how to understand and manage them. The animals themselves are quite comical and so appealing that you’ll find yourself pausing over each page to point things out or do some counting games, and it offers lots of excellent opportunities for interactive learning. A fun, funny and very useful book.
April 2016 Debut of the Month Stewart and Ashley are about as different as it’s possible to be. He’s super smart, happy to use words like ‘plethora’ in everyday conversation, but socially a little inept. She’s queen of the popular set at school, can spot a Desigual outfit from five hundred yards, but thinks melodramatic is two different words. Neither is very good at gauging other peoples’ feelings, and the culture clash when they become step-siblings is deafening. Things are complicated further when Jared, the school hunk/bully, enters their lives. This is all sorts of things: a wonderful comedy of manners; a study of some serious emotional issues, including bereavement; and a heart-warming illustration of how it’s possible to make bad things good, by working together. Ashley and Stewart are irresistible characters and this is set to become one of the most popular books of the year. ~ Andrea Reece
The inimitable Louis Sachar has done it again in this new Wayside School caper. Sachar totally gets Primary age readers - sees the world through their eyes, speaks to them in a wry voice that rings with understanding and funny details. What’s more, the bitesize chunks of plot (essentially inter-connected vignettes that form a satisfying whole) keep readers hungry for more, while the off-the-wall (yet believable) comic characters are guaranteed to induce gaggles of giggles. As a new year begins, Mrs Jewls’s pupils have a big bunch of stuff on their plates. An Ultimate Test looms ahead of them, while a Cloud of Doom looms overhead, growing bigger and more powerful each day. Back in class, the pupils are tasked with collecting one million nail clippings to get a sense of just how massive one million is, while Mrs Jewls’s paperclip appreciation is taken to crazy heights (“she marvelled at the magnificent metal masterpiece”) when she’s revealed to keep a secret stash of them in a locked room. Then there’s Mrs Surlaw the librarian, who has a GIANT stuffed walrus and arranges books according to their length, and the author’s cameo appearance as Louis the yard teacher (fun fact - the author actually used to be Louis the yard teacher). Perfectly complemented by Aleksei Bitskoff’s wittily detailed illustrations, this is clever, comic joy. You might also love The Worst Class in the World from Joanna Nadin or the Middle School series from James Patterson.
Soap? . . . Check. Water? . . . Check. Towel? . . . Check. Are you ready to wash your hands, Mr Panda? Join Mr Panda and friends as they learn all about hand washing, sneeze catching and other good hygiene practices. With a lightness of tone and a gentle humour throughout, this new book in the ever-popular Mr Panda series is perfect for helping little ones to stay safe in a Coronavirus/Covid 19 world. A must-have for all bookshelves.
Lovely, lugubrious Mr Panda is back, loaded up with doughnuts and ready to dispense advice on the best ways to behave. He’s already addressed politeness and good manners, in this story he has one question for the animals queuing up for a delicious doughnut, ‘Have you washed your hands?’ Not one of them has, though Lemur’s tail is clean, and Hippo’s bottom. After Mr Panda has explained why it’s important to have clean hands too, everyone gets together for a marvellous rub-a-dub-dub, soap bubbles sparkling everywhere and there’s one final joke before they get their sticky treats. As ever, the story is beautifully simple, yet will stand repeated readings. Mr Panda cuts a wonderfully bulky figure against a sea-green background and every page is a visual delight.
March 2013 eBook of the Month Packed with action, heart and humour, Waiting for Gonzo takes you for a white-knuckle ride on the Wheel of Destiny as it careers out of control down the Hillside of Inevitability. The question is, do you go down laughing? Or grit your teeth and jump off?Oz is a joker who attracts disasters like magnets to a fridge. On his first day at a new school, he accidentally triggers a chain of events which causes a catastrophe of EPIC proportions! But it's when Oz tries to repair the damage that the trouble really starts ...
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | February 2016 Debut of the Month | Fresh, funny and with the best teen voice since Geek Girl, this debut novel deserves a huge round of applause. It follows fifteen-year old Elektra, eager thespian and newly signed up with a theatrical agent. The acting world of auditions, call-backs and pushy stage mothers offers great material for comedy – co-author Honor Cargill, herself only a teenager, has direct experience apparently and it certainly feels very real, and no less funny for that. Just as good are the descriptions of Elektra’s home and school life, the usual mix of lessons, tricky negotiations with parents, friends, not friends, and yes, boys. It all makes for a terrific comedy of manners, with the requisite amount of trial and tribulation for Elektra underneath. Encore!
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | February 2016 Debut of the Month | Fresh, funny and with the best teen voice since Geek Girl, this debut novel deserves a huge round of applause. It follows fifteen-year old Elektra, eager thespian and newly signed up with a theatrical agent. The acting world of auditions, call-backs and pushy stage mothers offers great material for comedy – co-author Honor Cargill, herself only a teenager, has direct experience apparently and it certainly feels very real, and no less funny for that. Just as good are the descriptions of Elektra’s home and school life, the usual mix of lessons, tricky negotiations with parents, friends, not friends, and yes, boys. It all makes for a terrific comedy of manners, with the requisite amount of trial and tribulation for Elektra underneath. Encore!
