4 Children’s Books Where Silliness Reigns Supreme

One of the many things we learn from our kids is the importance of being silly sometimes. Silliness can be a wonderful way to relieve stress, overcome bad times or simply to make an ordinary, boring day more fun. Laughing together has health benefits, as well. Laughter can lower your blood pressure, boost your immune system, and even burn calories with no scary side effects.

If it has been a while since you got goofy with your brood, there’s no better time to share some silliness than right now. Have a crazy dance-off in the living room, tell corny jokes, or have contests to see who can perform the goofiest walk, voice, or facial expression.

Another way to introduce more silliness into your everyday life is by reading books together that have ridiculously goofy plots and characters. We have curated a list of truly silly stories that your kids (and you!) will want to read again and again:

Stuck

by Oliver Jeffers

Floyd’s kite gets stuck in a tree, so he tries to knock it down with his shoe. The problem is that Floyd’s shoe gets stuck, too. So what does he do? He throws his other shoe to knock out the first one.

Well, he keeps throwing more things to knock down the last thing he threw – which, of course, get stuck. What kinds of things does Floyd throw? Well… a duck, his friend’s bicycle, the milkman, and the kitchen sink, just to name a few. Not even the firefighters who show up with their ladder truck can help. Finally, Floyd has a great idea and heads off to grab a saw.

In the end, Floyd is successful in getting his kite unstuck from the tree, but probably not in the way you or your kids will imagine. Giggle together at the silly things the little boy hurls into the tree and the ridiculous conclusion of this colorful book.

I Want My Hat Back

by Jon Klassen

Bear’s hat is gone and he wants it back.

He politely asks Fox, who is sitting in the tall grass, but he hasn’t seen the hat. He asks Frog, who is lounging in the pond; Turtle, who is trying to climb a rock; Rabbit, who is resting in the field wearing a pointy, red hat; and wants to know why Bear is asking and what he is accusing him of because he would never steal a hat; Snake, Armadillo, Deer, but none of them have… WAIT! 

Bear has seen his hat! Furthermore, he remembers precisely where he saw his hat.

At the end of the book, Bear is blissfully wearing his hat once more when Squirrel asks if he has seen a rabbit wearing a hat. His silly answer will incite chuckles throughout the room.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole

by Mac Barnett

Sam and Dave started digging a hole on Monday. Dave told Sam that they were on a mission and would not to stop digging until they found something spectacular.

They dug so deep that they were underground, but they had not found anything spectacular yet. They dug in all different directions. They drank canteens of chocolate milk and ate animal crackers and even split up for a while, but they still didn’t find anything spectacular.

Suddenly, Sam and Dave fell down, down, down, and landed right back where they started. Or did they?

You will all be amused, and maybe annoyed, as you watch the boys come so very close to a spectacular discovery. Be sure to look carefully at the first and last pages for even more silliness, as well.

John Patrick Norman McHennessy

by John Burningham

John Patrick Norman McHennessy was on his way to school, when a crocodile snuck out of a drain and stole his book bag. He tried to fight it off and lost his glove in the process. To top it all off, he was late for school!

His teacher did not believe him and punished John Patrick Norman McHennessy by making him stay after class to write: “I must not tell lies about crocodiles and I must not lose my glove” 300 times.

The next day, while John Patrick Norman McHennessy was on his way to school, a lion jumped out of the bushes and ate his pants, and on another day, he encounters a tidal wave, but his teacher does not believe him. In fact, he is quite angry with John Patrick Norman McHennessy.

At least he was, until the tables are turned and something really outlandish happens to the teacher himself. This silly twist is sure to bring on smiles and laughter.

Shake off the worries of the day and spend some time being goofy with your gang. You will all gain good feelings and great memories by doing so.

What are some of the silliest books you’ve read with the kids? Share your favorites with us!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.