Volume 4, No. 7: July 2007

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•A New Look for Us
•Humor in Children's Books
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•Paul Simon & the Gershwin Prize
•Long Sentences in Novels About Dictators

A Conference for Missouri Non-Profits

The first ever statewide conference for Missouri nonprofit organizations is to be held in Jefferson City on November 8 and 9 this fall and is titled, "Strengthening the Voice of Missouri's Nonprofit Sector." It is being planned by a Committee of 30 nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from throughout the state. The conference will feature top notch national speakers and topics of interest to the smaller, local nonprofit organizations as well as the larger ones. We have a flyer on the conference:

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On Family Reading: Humor in Children's Books

By Julie Douglas

As I headed to my car after a recent READ from the START program, I overheard one of the participants excitedly telling her son about one of the new books she had received. "You'll love this one!" she said. "It's about a goat who only likes to eat healthy food. It’s SO funny!"

Most of us, regardless of age, like a good belly laugh. It's hard to resist something that makes us chuckle, whether it's a joke or a witty observation or a humorous story. Children are no exception. Besides being just plain fun, humor is actually good for developing minds!

Research has shown that when we nurture a child's emerging sense of humor, we also help them develop skills to deal with stress, interact socially, be creative, and problem solve. Humor has been linked to healing and self-esteem. Sharing a laugh over a book or story creates a bond between a parent and child. And because much of humor is built on understanding wordplay and the sophisticated use of language, it is an important tool in becoming a good reader.

Luckily there is no shortage of humorous children's books from which to choose. From simple knock-knock jokes and riddles, to picture books filled with parody and puns, there's a lot to tickle the funny bones of young children.

Because humorous children's books are a passion of mine, I have limited this list to my top 10 favorites lest the list get dangerously long!

Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague (Scholastic Press, 2002)

Poor misunderstood Ike has been sent off to obedience school by his owner, Mrs. LaRue. Not content to suffer in silence, Ike embarks on a mail campaign to guilt Mrs. LaRue into rescuing him from his "confinement." The clever use of the text and illustrations telling two conflicting stories makes this book fun for both parent and child.

Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Harry Bliss (Joanna Cotler, 2003)

If you think there can’t be anything funny about being an earthworm, think again! The wiggly narrator gives readers the real dirt about being a nightcrawler.

Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2000)

Stories about animals that outsmart humans make me laugh. When the inhabitants of this barnyard get fed up with their treatment, they take things into their own hands….uh, hooves. Click Clack Moo is a delightful celebration of speaking up for oneself.

Wool Gathering: A Sheep Family Reunion by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Frank Ansley (Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, 2001)

Wooly puns and clever wordplay weave through this collection of poems about a family reunion.

Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel (Harper & Row Publishers,1970)

As a former teacher and a parent, I have read Frog and Toad books so many times that I feel they are MY friends. And who wouldn't want to get to know the often droll Toad and the sweet, cheerful Frog? Lobel has written several books featuring the amphibian friends and all are well-loved by children (and adults!)

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2006)

Seems like a reasonable request, doesn't it? But the Pigeon is persistent in his pleas, with hilarious results.

The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith (Viking, 1992)
Book cover image

Some of my very favorite stories are twisted fairy tales, and this one is at the top my list. Irreverent and slightly sarcastic, the stories in this collection will appeal to older children who are familiar with the fairy tales on which they are based. Readers often either love or hate this one, but it is definitely unique.

Boney Legs by Joanna Cole (Scholastic, 1986)

When my daughter was little, we went through a period where we had to read Boney Legs every night. Cole's clever use of repetition and a story that begs to be acted out made this a favorite in our house.

And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss (Random House Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition, 1989)

Miscommunication and a wild imagination add up to giggles in this classic Dr. Seuss story.

Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat, illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey (Scholastic Paperbacks; Reissue edition,1989)

Gregory only wants to eat fruits and veggies, meat and dairy….you know, junk food. At least his parents see it that way. A young goat should be eating proper food like old tires and a piece of barber's pole. Parents of picky eaters will recognize their family in this funny twist of a common problem.

Published monthly by the Missouri Humanities Council, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities, a Federal agency.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. Permission to reprint with this attribution, "Missouri Humanities Council, mohumanities.org" and email or post notice of use.