Humor & Comedy

You know a book's funny if you're reading it alone and laughing hysterically. Of course, the really great comic masterpieces are also deep reflections on humanity and life and death (like Huckleberry Finn or All Creatures Great and Small or Calvin & Hobbes). Frequently, though, you just need to guffaw, and the literary quality of the piece isn't quite as important as the laugh-factor.

Not that you want to read swill. Cheap laughs might be funny on the surface, but the jokes that actually say something are generally funnier than the ones that simply point and snicker. It's easy to think we're superior because we get the joke, but in reality a lot of modern comedy is no more than the absence of reverence. Real comedy is simply an incongruous presentation of a familiar idea that amuses with its absurdity while offering a new view.

Before you dismiss the need for humor on religious grounds (suggesting that Jesus is the Man of Sorrows, and so must we be in order to be like Him), remember that the "laughter is good medicine" image comes from the Bible (Proverbs 17:22), and that as the Creator of everything God invented laughter. He invented jokes. As the perfect man, Jesus probably told the best jokes ever.

We have a few of them—a rich person will enter heaven as easily as a camel getting through the eye of a needle, or the one about the Pharisee and the plebe who go into the temple at the same time to pray. Jesus clearly saw the absurdity of life (in both of the cases mentioned, the absurdity of human pride), and used it to direct people to the Author of Meaning.

Basically, laughter is really good and you should try it sometime. If you're a little rusty and need a boost, read a funny book: maybe the heartwarming but hysterical adventures of the Gilbreth clan in Cheaper by the Dozen, or the pure zaniness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, or the heartwarming zaniness of Jeeves and Wooster. Whatever you do, smile more, frown less, and for goodness' sake take laughter seriously.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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83 Items found Print
Active Filters: 6th grade (Ages 11-12), Trade Paperback
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Illustrated Junior Library Series 2 Paperback
by Mark Twain, illustrated by Donald McKay
1987 Printing from Grosset & Dunlap
Realistic Fiction for 6th-10th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
Adventures of Tintin - Complete Package
by Herge
from Little, Brown & Company
Comic Book for 2nd-6th grade
in Adventures of Tintin (Location: COM-TIN)
$241.39
Another Field Guide to Little Known and Seldom-Seen Birds of North America
by Ben, Cathryn, and John Sill
from Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
in Field Guides & Nature Handbooks (Location: NAT-FIELD)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Applewhites at Wits End
by Stephanie S. Tolan
Fir from HarperCollins
for 4th-6th grade
2003 Newbery Honor book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Beezus and Ramona
Ramona Collection Book 1
by Beverly Cleary
Reissue from HarperTrophy
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Belles On Their Toes
by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
from HarperCollins
Family Stories for 4th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$15.99
Best Christmas Pageant Ever
by Barbara Robinson
1st edition from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Boy
by Roald Dahl
from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Boy
by Roald Dahl
1999 reissue from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Captain Nobody
by Dean Pitchford
from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Cheaper By the Dozen
by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
from HarperCollins
Family Stories for 4th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$16.99
Children of Noisy Village
by Astrid Lindgren
from Puffin Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Clockwork Twin
by Walter R. Brooks
from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Complete Nonsense of Edward Lear
by Edward Lear, collected and introduced by Holbrook Jackson
from Dover Publications
for 4th-6th grade
in Poetry (Location: POET-GEN)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Double Fudge
by Judy Blume
from Puffin Books
for 4th-7th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Education of Little Tree
by Forrest Carter
from University of New Mexico Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Everything on a Waffle
by Polly Horvath
First Square Fish, May 2008 from Square Fish Publishing
for 4th-6th grade
2002 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Eye of Zoltar OSI
Chronicles of Kazam Book 3
by Jasper Fforde
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Figgs & Phantoms
by Ellen Raskin
from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
1975 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Flora & Ulysses
by Kate DiCamillo
Reprint from Candlewick Press
for 3rd-6th grade
2014 Newbery Medal winner
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Freddy and Mr. Camphor
by Walter R. Brooks
from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and Mr. Camphor
by Walter R. Brooks
from Puffin Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and Simon the Dictator
by Walter R. Brooks
Reissue from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and the Baseball Team from Mars
by Walter R. Brooks
from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and the Dragon
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and the Flying Saucer Plans
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and the Men from Mars
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and the Perilous Adventure
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and the Popinjay
by Walter R. Brooks
from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy and the Space Ship
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy Goes Camping
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
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in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy Goes to Florida
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$11.99
Freddy Goes to the North Pole
by Walter R. Brooks
from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy Plays Football
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy Rides Again
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy the Cowboy
by Walter R. Brooks
from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy the Detective
by Walter R. Brooks, illustrated by Kurt Wiese
from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy the Magician
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Freddy the Pilot
by Walter R. Brooks
Reprint from Overlook Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Good Old Archibald
by Ethelyn M. Parkinson
from Bethlehem Books
for 3rd-7th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.95
Great Brain is Back
Great Brain #8
by John Dennis Fitzgerald
from Yearling
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Happy Days At Bullerby
by Astrid Lindgren
from Mammoth
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Harriet Spies Again
by Helen Ericson (based on Louise Fitzhugh)
Reprint from Yearling
for 3rd-6th grade
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$7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Henry and Beezus
by Beverly Cleary
from HarperCollins
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Henry and Beezus
by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Tracy Dockray
2007 Reillustrated Edition from HarperCollins
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Hidden Gallery
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book II
by Maryrose Wood
Revised from Balzer & Bray
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Holes
Holes Series #1
by Louis Sachar
from Yearling
for 4th-6th grade
1999 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$8.99
Hoot
by Carl Hiaasen
from Ember
for 4th-6th grade
2003 Newbery Honor Book
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$8.99
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place - Set
by Maryrose Wood
Reprint from Balzer & Bray
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Interrupted Tale
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book IV
by Maryrose Wood
Reprint from Balzer & Bray
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Last Dragonslayer
Chronicles of Kazam Book 1
by Jasper Fforde
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Last Dragonslayer Set
by Jasper Fforde
from Houghton Mifflin
for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Long Way from Chicago
by Richard Peck
from Puffin Books
Humorous Family Stories for 4th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Long-Lost Home
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book VI
by Maryrose Wood
Reprint from Balzer & Bray
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins Series #1
by P. L. Travers
from Harcourt
Fantasy for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Mexikid
by Pedro Martin
from Dial Books for Young Readers
for 5th-8th grade
in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC)
Motel of the Mysteries
by David Macaulay
from Houghton Mifflin
Humor for 4th-8th grade
in Humor & Comedy (Location: FIC-COM)
$14.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race
Lemoncello's Library #3
by Chris Grabenstein
from Yearling
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Muggie Maggie
by Beverly Cleary
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.99
Mysterious Howling
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book I
by Maryrose Wood
Reprint from Balzer & Bray
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Night of the Crash-Test Dummies
by Gary Larson
from Andrews McMeel
for 4th-Adult
in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Pay Attention, Carter Jones
by Gary D. Schmidt
from Clarion Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Pigs Might Fly
by Dick King-Smith
from Puffin Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Pushcart War
by Jean Merrill
50th Anniversary Edition from New York Review of Books
Satire for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Ramona and Her Mother
by Beverly Cleary
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Return of the Great Brain
Great Brain #6
by John Dennis Fitzgerald
from Yearling
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Ribsy
by Beverly Cleary
from HarperCollins
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$7.99
Season of Gifts
by Richard Peck
Reprint from Puffin Books
for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Song of the Quarkbeast
Chronicles of Kazam Book 2
by Jasper Fforde
Reprint from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Soup
by Robert Newton Peck
from Yearling
for Grades 4th-7th
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.99
Soup's Uncle
by Robert Newton Peck
from Yearling
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Surviving the Applewhites
by Stephanie S. Tolan
Fir from HarperCollins
for 4th-6th grade
2003 Newbery Honor book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.99
Tarantula in My Purse
by Jean Craighead George
from HarperCollins
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Teacher's Funeral
by Richard Peck
from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Toothpaste Millionaire
by Jean Merrill
from Sandpiper Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Toothpaste Millionaire
by Jean Merrill
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Unmapped Sea
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book V
by Maryrose Wood
Reprint from Balzer & Bray
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Unseen Guest
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book III
by Maryrose Wood
Reprint from Balzer & Bray
for 3rd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.99
Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
by Hugh Lofting
from Yearling
for 3rd-7th grade
1923 Newbery Medal winner
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Wanted...Mud Blossom
by Betsy Byars
from Dell Publishing
for 4th-6th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Wonderful O
by James Thurber
from New York Review of Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Wonderful O
by James Thurber
from Penguin Random House
for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck
from Puffin Books
Humorous Family Stories for 5th-9th grade
2001 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)