Get ready to laugh, chortle, giggle, and chuckle. Here are my favorite funny picture books for kids. I hope you love them and read them many, many times.
The Funniest Picture Books for Kids
Who Did It? (boxed set) by Ohara Hale
If you like potty humor, and I do, these short board books are must-owns! The titles are: Who Sneezed? Who Burped? Who Farted? Who Peed? Who Pooped? Curious kids observe each two-page spread filled with talking (and pooping, peeing, burping) animal characters. I LOVE these interactive and kid-friendly board books.
Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
All of Boynton’s board books are funny — this happens to be one of our favorites. Silly. Perfect for the under two age group.
Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea
This is a favorite picture book – it’s absolutely hysterical! Goat is very irritated when Unicorn moves to town and makes Goat look bad. Goat made his own marshmallow squares but that doesn’t compare with how Unicorn can make it rain cupcakes. Goat rants:
“Dopey Unicorn! Thinks he’s so great!
How can anyone be friends with that guy?
Look at me! I’m Unicorn! I think I”m so-o-o cool!”
But when Unicorn prances by, he’s amazed by Goat’s cheese, goat’s ability to eat garbage, his ability to head-butt the soccer ball, and his cloven hooves. Before you know it, the two become best friends. Goat says, “You know something, Unicorn? I had a feeling we’d be friends.” (Yeah, right.)
There Are Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz
You’ll love searching for cats in this laugh-out-loud book.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems
I think this book cracks me up more than it does kids — because these are the BEST stalling tactics employed by kids trying to stay away everywhere. Super funny.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
The cows want change — electric blankets and that sort of thing. So they leave Farmer Brown notes with their demands . . . Very creative and funny.
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Good thing for this farming family that their chickens will help with EVERYTHING! Except on Sunday. Delightful.
I Am Invited to a Party (Elephant and Piggie) by Mo Willems
We think all the Elephant and Piggie books are hilarious but this one is our favorite. Piggie has never been to a party before so she relies on Elephant’s help. Which is the silliest help you can imagine.
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
Bob just doesn’t fit with the rhyming dust bunnies — but that makes this book a total crack-up! Because he’s trying to warn them that there is a vacuum coming. Only his fellow Dust Bunnies just think he’s weird and can’t rhyme, ignoring his warning.
Bob, Not Bob! by Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick, illustrations by Matthew Cordell
- illustrations
- humorous story
- handwriting font
- did I mention the humor?
- clam shells
- screechy seagulls
- bathtub tidal waves
- pool parties
- walrus songs
OH, Great Now We’ve Got Barbarians! by Jason Carter Eaton, illustrated by Mark Fearing
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
In a domino effect of craziness, we learn that one thing leads to another when you give a mouse a cookie. Funny!
Guess Again! by Mac Barnett
If you like wacky humor, you’ll love this funny picture book. You think it’s going to rhyme only to be surprised with a delightful not-a-rhyme twist. This is probably my personal favorite picture book ever.
Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham
We love this hilarious alphabet book about a very impatient moose and his kind friend, Zebra.
Fairly Fairy Tales by Esme Raji Codell
Another favorite bedtime read – it’s hilarious! Gifted writer and educator Esme Raji Codell has written a book that incorporates fractured fairy tales with this kind of parent-child interplay to create a pitch-perfect combination of bedtime read-aloud and fairytales that will delight children and parents.
You’re Finally Here by Melanie Watt
Silly, silly, silly! A bedtime story to read over and over again! A bunny bounces through a range of emotions in this funny picture book about how difficult it is to wait for things. At first, he’s ecstatic that you, the reader, has arrived. But then he can’t help letting you know that waiting for you took TOO LONG, was way too boring, and even becomes insulting to you. The bunny is ready to forgive everything if you will promise to stay. But hold on–he has to take a phone call. Wait! Come back! Where are you going?
Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas
If you haven’t become a Jan Thomas aficionado, where have you been? I can’t figure out why she’s not as popular as some other writers. She’s hilarious!! We are addicted to her newest book, Ready for Fun, which is a great book for reading together and practicing your silly voices.
Edwin Speaks Up by April Stevens and Sophie Blackall
My kids think this picture book is absolutely hilarious! Which is true because Edwin, even though he’s a baby, is one smart kid who talks a lot. The problem is his family doesn’t understand what he’s saying. We can understand Edwin though, even when he says, “Fringle dee ROOFY plowck.” You’ll see . . .
You Will Be My Friend by Peter Brown
I love how hilarious this book is! Really seriously funny. Lucy, God-love her, is very enthusiastic about making friends with a forest critter. Her good intentions go awry and soon Lucy is yelling at animals — “Come back here and have fun with me” and “You WILL be my friend.” A sit turns out, that isn’t such a great way to make friends, either. Will Lucy ever make a friend?
King Hugo’s Huge Ego by Chris Van Dusen
You will LOVE this funny rhyming book about a king who thinks VERY highly of himself and is cursed by a witch. The curse means that every time he utters more self-important words, his head inflates. Surprisingly, he doesn’t mind because that means there is more of him to love. How will the king ever learn his valuable lesson in humility? What a delightful story with an important moral and great ending. (We read this book EVERY night for months.)
Doodleday by Ross Collins
This is one of our favorite books of all time! SOOOO clever and funny! Mom has just one thing to tell Harvey on Doodleday-no drawing allowed! But surely drawing one little fly can’t hurt. Not until Harvey’s fly comes to life and starts to wreck the kitchen, that is! What can Harvey draw that will catch it? A spider! But the spider proves to be even more trouble. Only one thing is capable of stopping Harvey’s rampaging doodles… (Mom!)
A Hungry Lion or Dwindling Assortment of Animals written and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
This book tricked me — and it will trick your kids too. First, we meet a hungry lion and an assortment of animals, who all begin to disappear one by one. We think maybe the lion is eating them. (Eew!) But, I won’t ruin the surprise by telling you the plot. Darkly hilarious!
I Got a Chicken For My Birthday by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Sarah Horne
SUCH a funny story! A little girl asks Abuela Lola for tickets to an amusement park for her birthday. Much to her surprise, Abuela Lola gets her a chicken instead!! Weird. And, it’s a chicken who is too busy to eat, too busy to lay eggs, and steals her dog and cat. But don’t worry. The new chicken is actually a genius. Kids will love this hilarious story about the best birthday present ever — a chicken who builds an amusement park. Stunning illustrations throughout. (And I predict you’ll want a chicken like this for your birthday, too.)
Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner
Your kids will love Skippyjon who is a Siamese kitten who likes to pretend he’s a Chihuahua (in the comfort of his own closet) having crazy adventures and speaking in an accent.
Ella, our spunky narrator tells us a story — one that’s going to be good, she explains due to the fact that there are NO BEARS in it. It starts out Once Upon a Time . . . and has a princess, a castle, a fairy godmother, but of course NO BEARS. (Except we, the readers, can clearly see that there is a bear who is peering around the edges of the book — who takes the fairy godmother’s wand and saves the princess from the bad monster who tries to steal her.) It’s great fun to be in on the secret which Ella never realizes. “Wow! This turned out to be a pretty good book, don’t you think? In fact, I think this has been the prettiest, most exciting, scariest, and funniest book ever. And I know why! Because there were NO BEARS in it.” Little does she know. . . This book is a favorite around our house — it just cracks my kids up!
101 Reasons Why I’m NOT Taking a Bath by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Joy Ang
Circle, Square, Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Moose is up to his usual antics and this time it’s in a shape book. Zebra, the narrator, can’t get Moose to get out of the book!! But they will always be good friends no matter what. HILARIOUS.
The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Adam Rex
Don’t miss this uproarious adventure of epic proportions that will merit reading and rereading then playing round after round of rock, paper, scissors in honor of these great warriors. Rock comes from the Kingdom of Backyard where he easily defeats all his opponents (a clothespin and an apricot). He needs a worthy foe. In the Empire of Mom’s Home Office, the super smart Paper discovers the same thing — no one can beat him either. And in the Kitchen Realm, no one can best Scissors, not even the fearsome breaded chicken dinosaurs. Each of these warriors sets off to find a worthy opponent. Finally Rock meets Scissors, Paper meets Rock, and Scissors meets Paper for epic battles. They are so happy to lose to someone worthy, they become best friends and keep battling. I particularly love the hilarious conversations between the three warriors and their opponents such as, ““I have come from the far reaches of Kitchen to battle you, O bizarre and yummy breaded dinosaurs!“” and ““If by “battle pants” you mean “no pants, but I’m willing to fight you,” then yes . . . yes, I am wearing my battle pants, weird scissory one!”” Adam Rex’s illustrations really bring the action and drama of this story alive.
7 Ate 9: The Untold Story by Tara Lazar, illustrated by Ross MacDonald
The Nonsense Show by Eric Carle
What a delightfully crazy book, just perfect for the absurd, bizarre, and ridiculous in all of us, especially children. In this silly nonsense show, you’ll see a bird in the water, tennis played with apples, and a lion taming acrobats but what else would you expect in a nonsense show? Love it!
I Am NOT a Chair by Ross Burach
Poor giraffe! All the other animals think he’s a chair — no matter what he does. He even tries to tells the hungry lion sitting on him but the lion is so scared to hear a talking chair that he runs away. Will giraffe ever get the others to see him as an animal? The light-hearted and silly humor will keep your kids giggling throughout.
Muddle and Mo by Nikki Slade Robinson
The Princess and the Frogs by Veronica Bartles, illustrated by Sara Palacios
Nanette’s Baguette by Mo Willems
Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Brian Floca MARCH
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