Growing Reader
Tween
Stand Out at Stand-Up:
7 Truly Funny Joke Books for Kids
by Tom Burns
There are few things funnier than a kid telling a joke. If they nail the punchline, it’s hilarious. If they completely botch the punchline, it’s somehow even MORE hilarious. But, no matter what, everyone gets a huge smile on their face.
August 16 is National Tell a Joke Day, so it’s time to get your little stand-ups working on their material. Because, even though kids are natural comedians, there’s only so many times a parent can pretend they don’t know “What’s brown and sticky?” (“A stick,” I replied to my daughter for the 50th time. “We both know it’s a stick.”)
If your child loves telling jokes, but they keep trotting out their tired old favorites, definitely introduce them to these side-splitting joke books that will provide little comedians with new material and keep your family laughing — honestly laughing — for weeks to come.
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Highlights Laugh Attack! Joke Books Series
There’s a whole series of kid-friendly joke books from Highlights Magazine, home to one of my personal favorite comedy duos of all time, Goofus and Gallant. The newest addition to the series, Best Kids’ Jokes Ever!: Volume Two, has a fantastic selection of old-school, dad-joke knee-slappers. Because, c’mon, parents — it’s our job to teach the next generation, “What’s black and white and red all over?”
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Roald Dahl’s Whoppsy-Whiffling Joke Book
There are few authors who kids love more than Roald Dahl. In books like Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he just perfectly portrays how bizarre and hilarious the world must seem to children. In this riotous joke book inspired by his fantastic books, kids will learn the perfect jokes to entertain everyone from teachers like Miss Trunchbull or annoying neighbors like The Twits.
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Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids
This awesomely organized bestseller will be hugely popular with your elementary aged kids. It’s got knock-knock jokes, old classics, and even a few that you probably haven’t heard yet, which is a kindness for parents everywhere. I mean, what kid isn’t going to laugh when you ask them, "How do you make a hot dog stand?" (You take away its chair.)
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Knock! Knock! Who Was There?
You can find the Who Was? biography series in almost every elementary school across the nation. (Thanks to their iconic cover designs, my daughter still calls them the “Big Head” books.) But the geniuses at Who HQ aren’t satisfied with just teaching your kids about history — they want to teach them to be funny too. Kids and history teachers alike will adore this selection of puns and punchlines all about historical figures. (For example — Q: Why did Betsy Ross wear long dresses? A: To cover her colo-knees!)
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Wee Hee Hee: A Collection of Pretty Funny Jokes and Pictures
Did you know that telling jokes is linked to higher intelligence, creativity, sociability, empathy, and self-esteem in kids? It’s true. That’s one of many reasons why the creative studio Wee Society put together this collection of “pretty funny” jokes. And, believe me, they ARE pretty. This is definitely the best-looking joke book you’ve ever seen and it even gives kids tips on how to deliver the perfect punchline.
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Jokelopedia: The Biggest, Best, Silliest, Dumbest Joke Book Ever!
Is your pun-happy kid always looking for new material? If so, they will go nuts for this veritable joke encyclopedia with over 1,700 jokes! Are they all worthy of their own Netflix stand-up special? Not at all, but you will have so much fun groaning (and giggling) while your young one hits you with a metric ton of jokes every morning. The cute illustrations also help make this volume especially endearing.
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National Geographic’s Just Joking Series
What does National Geographic know about humor? A lot, apparently. If you’ve ever been to a school book fair, you know that kids go CRAZY for their wacky fact and hilarious animal photo books. Well, NatGeo also has a series of themed joke books that your meme-loving elementary kids will love just as much as you do.
Does your child have a favorite joke book? Let us know in the comments below!