I have found that there are certain seasons of life where fun, lighthearted read-alouds are what my family needs. Maybe we’re studying something heavier in school or are in the middle of a long Ohio winter, and funny chapter books that make us laugh out loud are good medicine. We have read all of the books or series’ below, and they are all particularly funny and lighthearted in some way.
Ramona Series
Oh, Ramona — just thinking about these books makes me smile! While this series has been around for many years, the funny, down-to-earth vignettes within each book continue to be applicable to modern kids. We particularly love the Ramona audiobooks and have listened to them on many long car trips.
Our favorite funny moment: Ramona demands, “I want some PTA!” because she thinks anytime adults use initials, they are spelling something that she wants but can’t have. She makes a huge scene while her mom attends the local PTA meeting, and poor Beezus is left trying to calm her down.
Adventures with Waffles
This is a delightful little series that my 6-, 8-, and 10-year-old absolutely loved listening to. Set in Norway, it tells of the shenanigans of a young girl and her best neighbor friend. It runs the gamut of emotions from hilarious to sweet to sad to poignant and almost everything in between.
Our favorite funny moment: All Lena wants for her birthday is a new dad, but when she gets chicken pox, the local doctor comes to check on her. Not knowing he is a doctor, Lena exclaims, “A new dad for my birthday!” The doctor quickly tells her that he is just the local doctor, but Lena is even more thrilled, saying, “A dad and a doctor. Isn’t that handy?”
Terrible Two Series
This clever series is about two prankster boys who, while first rivals, ultimately become friends and prank partners. The way the pranks play out are pretty hilarious and unexpected, and the dry humor even made me laugh at times.
Our favorite funny moment: When Miles Murphy plans a birthday party for the completely made-up Cody Burr-Tyler, Miles is left completely dumbfounded when a “real” Cody Burr-Tyler shows up.
Tuesdays at the Castle
This is a really engaging fantasy series that isn’t all lighthearted, but there are definitely moments of levity. It tells the story of three royal children (in a fictitious kingdom) who are told their parents and brother were killed in an ambush. Now another rival kingdom is trying to take their father’s throne, and they (and their castle, which is “living”) must defend it. There was plenty of action and adventure, though not too much for young ears.
Our favorite funny moment: The royal siblings attempt to sabotage visiting kingdoms by playing pranks like rubbing animal poop on their shoes and dipping their clothing in ink.
Bad Kitty
If you’d like to give graphic-style novels a try, this series is a great one to start with. In this installment, Bad Kitty gets sick and goes to the vet, and she is devastated to learn she has to get a shot.
Our favorite funny moment: Bad Kitty’s terror over getting a shot mirrors my own kids’ dreads of shots at their doctor appointments, and they could all relate to the drama!
Wayside School Series
This is a really fun series to read aloud to elementary ages because it is full of zany characters and silly stories about the students at Wayside School. The school is 30-stories high because it was accidentally built vertically instead of horizontally, and many of the stories are laugh-out-loud funny.
Our favorite funny moment: Our kids thought that Miss Zarves on the non-existent 19th story of Wayside School was pretty hilarious.
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Though slightly eccentric, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle knows how to solve all kinds of problems that children have. She can provide cures for children who never want to go to bed, won’t stop bickering, are picky eaters, or have bad table manners. Silly and lighthearted, these stories are really fun to read-aloud.
Our favorite funny moment: My kids thought the “radish cure” was quite funny because it involved planting a radish garden on the head and arms of a little girl who never wanted to take a bath. Frankly, this one still grosses me out!
Tales from Deckawoo Drive
If you loved the Mercy Watson series (all four of our older kids loved it!), then you will be so excited about this spinoff series based on characters you met in the Mercy Watson books. Each installment has silly, slightly exaggerated characters who find themselves in entertaining predicaments. If you read the Mercy Watson books your kids around ages 4-5, this series is a great one to read around ages 6-7.
Our favorite funny moment: In the installment above, my kids liked Maybelline’s silly traits like her love for spaghetti, her four teeth, and Leroy Ninker’s description of her as “splendiferous.”
Pippi Longstocking
This series is one of our family’s favorite series for girls because of Pippi’s silly antics and entertaining adventures. With braids that stand up and no parents to tell her what to do (or what not to do), Pippi and her two neighbors friends provide lots of entertainment for young listeners.
Our favorite funny moment: When Pippi starts dancing with the burglars that were just trying to rob her house.
The Chocolate Touch
Based on the Greek myth about King Midas and his touch turning everything to gold, this book tells the story of John Midas, a young boy who loves chocolate. After finding and eating a mysterious chocolate candy, he suddenly has the curse of a magical “chocolate” touch and quickly learns that you can only have so much of a good thing. Honestly, this book gave me anxiety as a mom — but my kids loved it!
Our favorite funny moment: We were all a little shocked when John accidentally turned his own mother into chocolate!
If you’re looking for something funny and lighthearted, I hope you will give some of these a try — and I also hope they will make you laugh like they did us!