The best way to get the most fun out of story time with your little one is to simply pick up a book with a funny character, illustration or subject. There are so many funny stories for kids available these days that are sure to own your child’s full attention. Authors like Mo Willems, Ryan T. Higgins and Aaron Blabey are just a few of the top-notch writers who’ve produced hilarious picture book series for kids of all ages.
If you’re new to the world of children’s books, or just looking for something to add to your bookshelf, I recommend checking out the list of some of my family’s favorites below!
Top 15 funny stories for kids
15. Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type
When the barnyard animals get access to a typewriter, a hilarious back-and-forth negotiation with Farmer Brown ensues.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type is one of many funny stories for kids written by author Doreen Cronin. The story is great for children ages 3-7 and is a 2001 Caldecott Honor winner. The book was also featured as one of the “Top 100 Picture Books” by the School Library Journal.
Read our full review of Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type here.
14. Pig the Pug
Pig is a selfish, little pug who hates sharing with his friend Trevor. But Pig soon learns a tough lesson about the importance of sharing when he tries to hoard his toys.
This laugh-out-loud, funny picture book is the first of a seven-book series by author Aaron Blabey. It’s rhyming pattern and hilarious illustrations make it a great option for preschool and elementary children. It’s a quick read as well which is great for parents during bedtime story sessions.
Read our full review of Pig the Pug here.
13. Bad Kitty
When Kitty realizes that all of her delicious junk food has been replaced with healthy snacks, chaos follows!
This clever book by Nick Bruel combines a funny story theme with the alphabet in a work that will have your kids laughing and learning at the same time. The popularity of Bad Kitty has led to other editions in the series and more than 8 million copies sold!
Read our full review of Bad Kitty here.
12. Your Baby’s First Word Will Be DaDa
As soon as you see the book is written by Jimmy Fallon, it’s pretty easy to assume it’ll be funny. Parents will find this book very amusing, as it highlights the battle between mother and father for their child’s first word. No matter how hard the dads try, they just can’t get their baby to say “Dada” first.
This board book is geared for infants and reached number one on the New York Times Bestseller List. It’s the first in a three-book series and is a great gift for new parents. We also recommend checking out Fallon’s Everything is Mama and This is Baby.
Read our full review of Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada here.
11. Olivia
A classic work by Ian Falconer, Oliva is a Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestseller. There have been 11 other stories added to the series (in a variety of languages) because of the book’s massive popularity.
Olivia is a funny story for kids and parents because it demonstrates the struggle for a mother trying to handle her child’s never-ending energy. Falconer’s creative illustrations will certainly catch your eye and are especially appealing for preschool and elementary children.
Read our full review of Oliva here!
10. The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! is the latest work by author Mo Willems. Fans of Mo will certainly recognize his humorous writing style and funny illustrations, in addition to his popular Pigeon character.
In this edition, Pigeon is really nervous about going to school and spends the whole book trying to explain why it’s a bad idea. Similarly to other Pigeon books, this one has a hilarious conclusion that draws from past themes of prior editions. My daughter loves these books and often talks directly to Pigeon as we’re reading along.
Read our full review of The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! (coming soon).
9. Mother Bruce
Mother Bruce is written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins, the popular children’s book author of other funny stories for kids like We Don’t Eat Our Classmates and Wilfred. This hilarious tale shows us what happens when a grumpy, introverted bear becomes the unexpected parent of four little geese. No matter how hard Bruce tries, he just can’t seem to get the little geese to fly south.
The first in a three-part series featuring the popular “Bruce” title character, Mother Bruce is perfect for preschool and elementary children. It’s extraordinary illustrations and funny theme make it a great option for preschool and elementary children.
Read our full review of Mother Bruce (coming soon).
8. Interrupting Chicken
Interrupting Chicken is an award-winning story written by popular children’s author David Ezra Stein. This amusing picture book features a father chicken trying to read bedtime stories to his very imaginative little chicken. But when the fairy tales’ drama gets to be too much for little chicken, he can’t help but jump in with his own “edits” to the stories.
Kids will find little chicken’s story additions hilarious, while parents will also enjoy this book as a good option to help teach the importance of manners.
We recommend this book for preschool and elementary age children, especially if they are familiar with the fairy tales that referenced throughout (Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Little Red Hen).
Read our full review of Interrupting Chicken (coming soon).
7. P is for Pterodactyl
Coming in at number seven on our list is a book that is not only hilarious, but also a great teaching tool for elementary children, P is for Pterdodactyl.
In this alphabet book by Raj Haldar, we see the quirks of the English language on full display by learning about silent letters. The tone of the book really encourages kids to have fun while learning, while also finding humor in the challenges that come with learning a new language. The creative theme and fun illustrations helped make this book a New York Times Best Seller, as well as an Amazon Book of the Month.
This book is a great option for teachers and parents of children ages 5 – 10, and is sure to get some new words added to your vocabulary as well!
Read our full review of P is for Pterodactyl (coming soon).
6. Dinosaurs Love Underpants
When it comes to funny stories for kids, there’s not much that beats the combination of dinosaurs and underpants. In this amusing story by Claire Freedman, children ages 4 – 8 will enjoy a fun rhyming book that explores the topic of why dinosaurs love underwear so much.
While the book may not offer much from an educational perspective, it’s incredibly silly theme and fun illustrations will surely keep your child entertained at story time, and probably get a few laughs from adults as well.
If you’re looking for an easy, entertaining read that appeals to dino-lovers, Dinosaurs Love Underpants is a great option.
Read our full review of Dinosaurs Love Underpants (coming soon).
5. Dragons Love Tacos
The book cover and title make it pretty easy to see why Dragons Love Tacos fits the category of funny stories for kids. The book’s lighthearted theme is all about dragons and how much they love tacos (but keep them away from the spicy salsa!).
This amusing tale by Adam Rubin is one of the most popular children’s books in recent years, and a fixture on the New York Times Bestsellers List. The book has developed a huge following online which is highlighted by Rubin’s site dragonslovetacos.com (including an entertaining fan art page). Dragons Love Tacos is ideal for children ages 4 – 8, and perfect for getting a few laughs thanks to its silly theme and funny illustrations.
Read our full review of Dragons Love Tacos (coming soon).
4. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Mo Willems‘ popular Pigeon character makes his way on our list a second time with, arguably, his most popular work, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! This book is great for toddlers, all the way up to elementary age children, and features the title character interacting directly with the reader as he begs to take the bus out for a spin.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! has won numerous awards, including the 2004 Caldecott Honor. It’s also a featured children’s book inducted in the Picture Book Hall of Fame. The enormous popularity of this debut has led to eight more books being published within the series.
Mo Willems‘ books are known for their comic-like illustrations and hilarious themes. To learn more about his works, visit his featured book site at pigeonpresents.com.
Read our full review of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! here.
3. The Day the Crayons Came Home
We discovered The Day the Crayons Came Home after picking it up during one of our trips to the local library, and it instantly became one of the favorites. The book is the follow-up to Drew Daywalt’s The Day the Crayons Quit, and holds up to the original’s hilarious theme. Both books are applauded for their originality and feature a first-hand account of Duncan’s “colorful” crayons as they interact with the reader.
In the sequel, we learn all about each of the crayons and their journey to make it back home. The letters each crayon writes during their travels are laugh-out-loud funny and make this an enjoyable read for children and parents. The accompanying illustrations are full of detail and help give each character their own, unique personality.
Both of Daywalt’s books in series have received numerous accolades, including lengthy runs on the New York Times bestsellers list. We definitely recommend either as great options for preschool or elementary kids.
Read our full review of The Day the Crayons Came Home (coming soon).
2. We Are in a Book!
You can’t go wrong with any selection by Mo Willems, but We Are in a Book! is our absolute favorite.
In this edition, we see Gerald and Piggie interacting directly with the reader as they realize they’re part of a story! Kids will love seeing the characters react to their new discovery and laugh along with their playful interactions.
In the story, Gerald and Piggie start by showing a lot of excitement, and even get the reader to say funny words out loud. But this amusement quickly turns to worry as they realize the book is nearing an end. Willems wraps up the story in clever fashion by having them ask to be read again, which will surely keep this book in the story time rotation. We’ve read this one so many times, my four-year old can quote the entire thing by memory!
We Are in a Book! has been recognized by winning a variety of awards, including the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor. This edition is a standout in the series and is perfect for kids of any age.
Read our full review of We Are in a Book! here.
1. The Book with No Pictures
I can certainly understand parents that may be skeptical that this book fits the category of funny stories for kids. For a long time, I saw this book in our local bookstore and never gave it more than a glance. But after giving it a quick read with my preschooler, The Book with No Pictures easily became the go-to book selection before bedtime.
The book does contradict typical children’s book logic around engagement and is void of all illustrations. But what it loses in color is more than made up for by a hilarious, creative premise that promotes a ton of laughter.
This is an ideal book for story time and requires parents to read out loud to their child. Whether it be a wacky sound or silly song, the story’s comedy comes from the reader saying ridiculous things. Kids will love seeing their parents make crazy statements and break from the mold of traditional story time. As a parent, I really enjoy reading this one with my daughter because of the playful conversation it promotes.
This book is great for toddlers, preschool and younger elementary kids, and is sure to turn any parent into a comedian!
Read our full review of The Book with No Pictures here.
There are so many great children’s books that are sure to get a laugh. These books are some of my family’s favorites, but we’d love to hear from you too. Make sure to leave a comment below with some of your favorite funny stories for kids!