Funny Stories

FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

Books to cheer you up Humour is a very individual thing and what one person finds hilarious might not raise a smile in someone else. You are probably not going to be chuckling your way all through these books, or find every one equally funny, but I hope at least some of them will raise a laugh. Like most good comedy they sometimes describe situations that might even make you feel tearful or angry. A well-written, funny book should not be underestimated. As the author Clive James said, 'Common sense and a sense of humour are the same thing moving at different speeds. A sense of humour is just common sense dancing.' Books marked with

S

have one or more sequels.

Books marked with may be unsuitable for younger readers and may require some parental guidance. Mrs Watts Librarian , 2

Last updated November 2018

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BUCKLE J.A. Half My Facebook Friends are Ferrets Number one on the list of things Josh wants to do before he is 16 is 'kiss a female who is not a relative, very old, very young or covered in fur'. S

BOYCE Frank Cottrell Cosmic Liam is so tall that everyone mistakes him for an adult. This has benefits when he's test-driving a Porche but isn't so useful when he finds himself on a spaceship with other children depending on him. BOYCE Frank Cottrell Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth Prez must show an alien that there are ten things worth saving about the Earth or the whole planet will be destroyed.

BRIGGS Raymond Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age Is Ug being a dreamer or can he really find a softer alternative to stone trousers?

COWELL Cressida How to Train Your Dragon 'Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was an awesome sword-fighter, a dragon-whisperer and the greatest Viking hero that ever lived.' S

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BAUER Michael Gerard Don't Call Me Ishmael It's bad enough warding off the school bully, but when you also have to look after a boy with the fashion sense of your grandfather then the situation gets infinitely worse.

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ANGLEBERGER S Tom The Strange Case of Origami Yoda A paper puppet in the shape of Yoda from Star Wars starts predicting what happens in Dwight's sixth-grade class.

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FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

DAVIS Ben The Private Blog of Joe Cowley Joe decides to write a blog because he needs to make sense of his excruciatingly embarrassing life and become a 'completely different person' and anyway 'diaries are for girls'. S

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EARLE Phil Demolition Dad Jake's dad demolishes buildings for a living and in his spare time tries to demolish his opponents in the wrestling ring. Can Jake help to make his dad a wrestling superstar? EASTON T.S. Boys Don't Knit Ben is going to ruin his reputation if his love of knitting becomes public knowledge, so he has to keep it a secret from everyone, including the girl of his dreams.

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S EVANS Maz Who Let the Gods Out? Can Elliot persuade the Greek gods, who have now retired, to rid the world of a powerful daemon?

GARROD Beth Super Awkward 'I, Bella Fisher, am absolutely winning at failing at life'. If you enjoy the comedy of cringe then this one is for you.

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HAMILL Christine The Best Medicine Philip writes to his hero, the comedian Harry Hill, for advice about his worries. A light-hearted read about a serious subject.

KINNEY Jeff The Diary of a Wimpy Kid The first book in the successful and well-known series featuring the exploits of Greg Heffley and friends. S

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GOSCINNY Rene & Albert UDZERO Asterix the Gaul 'When Getafix is kidnapped by the Romans, Asterix penetrates their camp to rescue him with hair-raising results.' S

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FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

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LOWERY Mark Socks Are Not Enough If you think your parents are embarassing, spare a thought for Michael Swarbrick who has just discovered that his parents are nudists who intend going public. S

MULLIGAN Andy Ribblestrop Ribblestrop is a disturbingly chaotic boarding school full of dastardly goingson. If you like your humour black then try this first one in the series. S

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MILANO Birdie Boy Meets Hamster Bad luck and horrible embarrasment follow Dylan around, just as he's trying to impress the gorgeous JordanLee from the caravan opposite and make the best of a holiday that persists in going wrong.

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MERES Jonathan The World of Norm: May Contain Nuts Norm is thirteen and feels the latest blow in his unfair life is having to move to a smaller house. Similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid but British and rather ruder. S

ROBB Andy Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind When he's not being annoyed by his overly-cheerful stepfather, Archie spends his time on role-playing games. But then he meets a beautiful girl ... S RYLANDER Chris The Fourth Stall Mac and Vince run a fix-it service from the fourth stall of the boys' bathroom. A Mafia-style story set in an American middle school. S

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McGOWAN Anthony Hellbent The Times called this tale of a boy's trip to Hell, 'a brilliantly nauseating thriller'.

SOLOMONS David My Brother is a Superhero A being from a trans-dimensional spacecraft turns Luke's brother into a superhero. Luke is going to use his vast comic-book knowledge to teach him what to do. S

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FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

TOWNSEND Sue The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 S Serious, selfimportant Adrian still manages to be one of the most loveably geeky characters in literature. Several books on this list owe a debt to this one.

FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

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ADAMS Douglas The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy You don't have to be a science fiction fan to love this book and its sequels by the late comic genius Doulgas Adams.

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COPE Wendy Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis One of the best-ever titles for a poetry book.

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BENNETT Alan The Uncommon Reader The day Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth discovers the City of Westminster mobile library is the day her life changes forever.

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BRYSON Bill Notes From a Small Island All Bill Bryson's travel books are entertaining, but this one, describing his visit to Britain, contains some of his funniest writing.

COOPER Robin The Timewaster Diaries Robin plans to make money by making the first chocolate bar with a fresh-water filling: Aquachoc. One for fans of Adrian Mole.

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DUNTHORNE Joe Submarine Fifteen-year-old Oliver is trying to improve his family's life and build on his relationship with his pyromaniac girlfriend.

ELLEN Tom & Lucy IVESON Freshers Phoebe and Luke's first year at university is proving to be a bit of a social disaster. Honest and funny account of the fresher experience. ELLEN Tom & Lucy IVESON Lobsters Brutally frank story of Sam and Hannah who hope to find that one special person over the course of a single summer.

FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

OLDER READERS CLASSIC FICTION OLDER READERS

GROSSMITH George & Weedon The Diary of a Nobody Mr Pooter's diary was published in book form in 1892 and his character has endured ever since as an archetype of muddling selfimportance.

JEROME Jerome K. Three Men in a Boat This was an instant success when it was published in 1899 and has been entertaining readers ever since. S

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GREEN Simon James Noah Can't Even Noah is trying S to strike up a relationship with the gorgeous Sophie when his friend Harry kisses him at a party and he is thrown into a state of confusion.

NICHOLLS David Starter for Ten What does a woman really look for in a man? Advanced general knowledge of course. At least this is what Brian Jackson believes in his first year at university. PRATCHETT Terry The Colour of Magic The first of the author's phenomenally successful Discworld novels that brilliantly combine humour and fantasy. S

HELLER Joseph Catch 22 Classic satire about the madness of war. The central character, Yossarian, does not have to fly another mission if he is insane, but his reluctance to fly is evidence of his sanity.

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GIBBONS Stella Cold Comfort Farm A classic parody of gloomy, melodramatic portrayals of rural life.

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SEDARIS David Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim This book centres on the writer's childhood as part of an eccentric family in North Carolina. Sedaris has been called 'the rock star of writers'.

FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

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OLDER READERS SIMKINS Michael The Rules of Acting 'It is thrilling that Michael Simkins is having such success as a writer - anything to keep him off the stage.'

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Ian McKellen (actor)

VAN DE RUIT John Spud S 'Spud Milton is embarking on his first year at an elite boys-only private school... cursed with parents well beyond the lunatic fringe and a dormitory full of strange characters.' WALLACE Danny Yes Man The true story of how Danny decided to say 'yes' to everything he would once have said 'no' to.

WODEHOUSE P.G. The Code of the Woosters Bertie Wooster is young, wealthy and idiotic and Jeeves is the brilliant valet who repeatedly has to get him out of trouble. S 8

FUNNY STORIES READING LIST

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