Fun Reads for the Ivy and Bean Set

If your young readers love to get lost in a hilarious adventure, they’ve probably already discovered the Ivy and Bean series, by Annie Barrows. Ivy and Bean are the queens of silly neighborhood capers (and don’t think those girls are just for kids. I’ve caught my husband chuckling at a picture of Bean holding an absurd number of straws in her mouth). So what can boys and girls read next when they need a laugh, but aren’t quite ready for a full-length novel? One of these titles is sure to strike their funny bone. Don’t be surprised when you hear them giggling at bedtime!
Amelia Bedelia, by Herman Parish
Kids love to be in on the joke before the characters, and poor Amelia Bedelia is never in on the joke. She takes everything very literally, and silliness always ensues. These books are packed with puns and colloquialisms that will have kids grinning.
Flat Stanley, by Jeff Brown
Living life as flat as a pancake is hard, and Flat Stanley has the funny illustrations to prove it. Is this series going to have adults rolling on the floor laughing? Probably not. But you can bet that any kid who reads Flat Stanley is going to spend the rest of the day dreaming about what it would be like to be so flat you could slip through a mail slot and travel the world.
Judy Moody, by Megan McDonald
This series starts by announcing, “Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood. A mad-faced mood.” Roar! Who can’t relate to that? McDonald keeps these books moving and has the perfect mix of sympathy and skepticism toward her young heroine. Readers new to the series will be glad to know there are many more books to enjoy, and boys will enjoy the series about Judy’s younger brother, Stink.
Mercy Watson, by Kate DiCamillo
Writer DiCamillo is currently using her big brain to promote children’s literacy as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. But in her spare time, she writes wonderful books for readers of all ages. Some are poignant and others are silly. The Mercy Watson series is a favorite of young fans of slapstick.
Miss Daisy Is Crazy, by Dan Gutman
Gutman skewers the characters that make up every second grader’s world: teachers, principals, and students. Meet the dumbest teacher in the world, a crazy librarian, and a principal who’s totally nuts. They’re all the target of his outrageous brand of humor in this silly, silly series.
What books have your young readers giggling?