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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"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"
by Patricia Thomas
from HarperCollins
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
Adventures of Charlie the Ranch Dog
An I Can Read Book Level 1
by Ree Drummond and Diane De Groat
from Barnes & Noble
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Adventures of Charlie the Ranch Dog
by Ree Drummond and Diane De Groat
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst
from Atheneum
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Book With No Pictures
by B. J. Novak
from Penguin Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99
Case of the Cat's Meow
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Crosby Bonsall
from Weekly Reader
Mystery/Suspense for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Charlie and the New Baby
by Ree Drummond and Diane De Groat
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Charlie at the Zoo
by Marcus Pfister
from North-South Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit
by Don Daily, Joel Chandler Harris
from Running Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh
by A. A. Milne
from Dutton Children's Books
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Cranberry Valentine
by Wende & Harry Devlin
from Purple House Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$19.95
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
2004 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Eddie's Menagerie
by Carolyn Haywood
1st edition from Troll Associates
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Edward Lear's Nonsense Books
by Edward Lear
from Grosset & Dunlap
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
Fish Out of Water
by Helen Palmer
from Random House
Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Fly Went By
by Mike McClintock
from Random House
Rhyming Books for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Fly Went By
by Mike McClintock, illustrated by Fritz Siebel
from Random House
Rhyming Books for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Foot Book
Bright & Early Books
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Foot Book
Bright & Early Books
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.00 (4 in stock)
Giant John
by Arnold Lobel
Weekly Reader Book Club Ed. from Harper & Row
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Gift of the Magi
by O. Henry
from Picture Book Studio
Realistic Fiction for Nursery-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
Golly Sisters Go West
by Betsy Byars
1st edition from HarperCollins
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Great Gracie Chase
by Cynthia Rylant
from Blue Sky press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Gullywasher
by Joyce Rossi
from Luna Rising
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Harry and the Lady Next Door
An I Can Read Book Level 1
by Gene Zion
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Harry the Dirty Dog
by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham
from Harper & Row
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Hetty and Harriet
by Graham Oakley
from Atheneum
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$38.00 (1 in stock)
Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him!
by Dr. Seuss writing as Theo LeSieg, illustrated by Scott Nash
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
House at Pooh Corner
by A. A. Milne
from Dutton Children's Books
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$19.99
How to Speak Politely and Why
by Munro Leaf
from Universe Publishing
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Hush Up!
by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Glen Rounds
from Holt, Rinehart and Winston
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
I Am NOT Going to Get Up Today!
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
I Want to Be Somebody New!
by Robert Lopshire
1St Edition from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
I Wish That I Had Duck Feet
by Theo. LeSieg
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
by Laura Numeroff
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
by Laura Numeroff
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
by Laura Numeroff
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
If You Give a Pig a Party
by Laura Numeroff
First Edition from HarperCollins
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
If You Made a Million
by David M. Schwartz, illustrated by Steven Kellogg
from HarperCollins
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
In a People House
by Theo. LeSieg, illustrated by Roy McKie
from Random House
for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
In Time for Spring
by Crockett Johnson
Revised from HarperCollins
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Journey Cake, Ho!
by Ruth Sawyer, illustrated by Robert McCloskey
from Viking Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
1954 Caldecott Honor Book
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$8.00 (3 in stock)
King Bidgood's in the Bathtub
by Audrey & Don Wood
1st edition from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (2 in stock)
King Bidgood's in the Bathtub
by Audrey Wood & Don Wood
Reprint from Scholastic Inc.
for Nursery-1st grade
1986 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
King with Six Friends
by Jay Williams, illustrated by Imero Gobbato
from Purple House Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.95
Love from Paddington
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Make Way for McCloskey
by Robert McCloskey
from Viking Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Picture Book Treasuries (Location: PIC-TRE)
$28.99
Man Who Lost His Head
by Claire Huchet Bishop & Robert McCloskey
from New York Review of Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.95
Miss Twiggley's Tree
by Dorothea Fox
from Purple House Press
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$19.95
Mouse Cookies & More: A Treasury - Book & CD
by Laura Numeroff
HAR/COM from HarperCollins
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Mr. Putter and Tabby Spin the Yarn
by Cynthia Rylant
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Mr. Squirrel and the Moon
by Sebastian Meshemoser
from NorthSouth
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Once a Mouse
by Marcia Brown
from Atheneum
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1962 Caldecott Medal Winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Oscar Otter
by Nathaniel Benchley
from Harper & Row
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Oscar, Cat-About-Town
by James Herriot, illustrated by Ruth Brown
from St. Martin's Press
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Piglet Named Mercy
Mercy Watson #0
by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
from Candlewick Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
Pinkerton, Behave!
by Steven Kellogg
from Dial Books for Young Readers
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Clearance: Picture Books (Location: ZCLE-PIC)
Poke in the I
by Paul Janeczko
1st edition from Candlewick Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Real Pretend
by Joan Donaldson, illustrated by Tasha Tudor
from Checkerboard Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Rocket Book
by Peter Newell
from Tuttle Publishing
for Preschool-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
See the Dog
by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
from Candlewick Press
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$8.99
Sneetches and Other Stories
by Dr. Seuss
1St Edition from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
Snow
by Philip.D. Eastman, Roy Mc Kie
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
by Jon Scieszka
1st edition from Viking Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
1993 Caldecott Honor Book
in Humor & Comedy (Location: FIC-COM)
Story of Zachary Zween
by Mabel Watts, Marylin Hafner (Illustrator)
from Parents Magazine Press
Word Books for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Summer
by Alice Low
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Three Little Horses / Veronica
by Piet Worm, Roger Duvoisin
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Tikki Tikki Tembo
by Arlene Mosel
from Henry Holt and Company
Humorous Folk Tale for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Two Bad Ants
by Chris Van Allsburg
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Will Spring Be Early? Or Will Spring Be Late
by Crockett Johnson
Revised from HarperCollins
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
by Dr. Seuss
First Edition from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99