Created in Matt Carr’s signature comic-book style with a palette of bold primary colours, this entertaining story follows Spyder, a secret agent arachnid whose codename is 008. Spyder is sent on a highly important mission to save one boy’s birthday cake from the destructive intentions of an uninvited Bluebottle.

We’ll never grow tired of this creative tongue-twister series of stories that make for perfect read-it-together books for families and classroom settings – it’s ridiculously good fun that takes ‘the cat sat on a mat’ to a whole new level of hilarity.

The award-winning series includes Oi Frog!, Oi Dog!, Oi Cat!, Oi Duck-billed Platypus! and Oi Puppies!, and each book is based on the premise of instructing a menagerie of animals where to sit, using rhyme (for example, hares sit on chairs and lions sit on irons). The funny interplay between the unconvinced frog (who does not want to sit on a log, by the way), and the experienced mat-sitting cat, is what makes this book such a hoot.

Children in EYFS love this book, which always gets little ones joining in with the wonderfully silly rhymes. It is a good book for Reception phonics learning and also just to read for fun. The illustrations are bright and colourful and it is exactly the kind of go-to story time treat that teachers rely on for guaranteed giggles for classroom story sessions.

This laugh-out-loud story book has become a modern classic and a true story time staple for Year 1.

The format is a simple counting book, but the commentary from the illustrator adds a layer of hilarity that children love – making it a funny counting book with a humorous twist.

The illustrator directly addresses the reader to explain that he can only draw worms, and proceeds to demonstrate by drawing a series of brightly coloured neon wiggly worms. His added commentary promises extra details – such as flying unicorns and an outer space setting – but as he has admitted, he can’t draw these details so he teases the reader with the details instead and leaves the rest to the imagination.

Children love the tension of wondering whether anything other than worms will really appear, but never feel short-changed when they don’t because the in-joke is now theirs to enjoy over and over again.

We adore this charming story about a young boy who is tasked with finding a hat in order to be allowed into a party. When the boy struggles to find one, a helpful animal friend steps in to save the day. However, when he arrives, a tough doorman and an even tougher series of entry requirements lead to a snowballing of humorous actions and a hilarious climax.

The story is filled with wonderfully illustrated, silly characters and a ridiculous storyline that will have children and adults alike laughing out loud.  This is a picturebook to recommend to anyone looking for a fun and engaging story to share with children. With vibrant illustrations and humorous characters, We Must Bring a Hat is a sure-fire hit in the classroom and a book that children will ask for over and over again. We think this is a perfect choice for entertaining storytimes with Year 2.

In every Reception or Infant class, you’ll find fans of Supertato and his hilarious crew of vegetable friends (not forgetting his nemesis, Evil Pea).

Written by husband and wife team Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, the books are enjoyed by readers who like a high dose of action and hilarious characters who mean business.

This is a tremendously popular story that has now been developed into a series of books and a TV show. It tells the funny tale of Supertato, the unlikely superhero who is on a mission to protect the other vegetables from the Evil Pea. A laugh-out-loud story that children want to hear again and again.

Steve Smallman is the master of funny rhymes for children and as luck would have it, quite a lot of words rhyme with ‘zoo’.

Take a menagerie of animals, a thumpingly fast rhyming verse and a dash of toilet humour and you have the makings of a riotous storytime favourite. As well as the tongue-twisting story filled with funny-sounded onomatopoeia (there’s plenty of plopping and splatting), the book also features themes of keeping the environment clean, animal tracking and caring for wildlife. This book will become an instant favourite with children who love a good giggle at storytime.

Like many of the funniest books, the simple honour and bold illustrations make this a laugh-out-loud hit in KS1 classrooms. How to Be Cooler Than Cool hilarious and engaging picturebook that will keep you laughing and eagerly turning the pages.

In the story, a cat finds a pair of sunglasses and thinks they’ll make her look cool. However, her attempt at being cool by gliding backwards down a slide ends in a clumsy fall. Much hilarity ensues when her friends Pig or Cockatoo try to have better luck. But in the end, we all know that it’s not clothing, fashion accessories or sharp moves that make friends cool.

This illustrated chapter book about a flying pony is just so endearing and very entertaining. As you’d expect from this author-illustrator dream team that brought us Cakes in Space and Oliver and the Seawigs, this story is amusingly original at every turn and is overflowing with the feel-good factor. Kevin is a flying pony who lives on the Outermost West hills and loves biscuits (especially custard creams). One day, a wild storm brings Kevin roly-polying through the air and crashing into Max’s flat in the town of Bumbleford. Max has always wanted a pet and is delighted by Kevin’s arrival…

We really love this easy-listening and charmingly funny series!

Readers will laugh out loud at well-meaning mischief and misadventure of Marge, the madcap babysitter with rainbow hair. When no grown-ups are around, Marge is in charge and anything can happen!

Highly recommended as a fun read-aloud, each book in this series contains short stories about the funny escapades of seven-year-old Jemima and younger brother Jake when Marge the babysitter is in charge. There is plenty of slapstick and good natured fun to giggle at, and Marge’s outrageous antics make the children feel like she is the one who really needs a babysitter.

The Treehouse books form an enormously popular children’s book series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.

The series features a fun-loving pair of friends who live in an imaginative treehouse with lots of fun extra rooms. As the series progresses, the treehouse expands and before long contains everything from a movie theatre, dinosaur petting zoo, marshmallow-toasting volcano and a ninja snail academy.

Highly illustrated with comic-style line drawings, treehouse diagrams and speech bubbles, these books are wildly popular with children aged 7 plus. The high image-to-text ratio coupled with its wacky sense of humour have helped the series to earn its reputation for hooking children into reading.

We recommend this super fun chapter book series with an imaginative cast of characters!

The book is about a hotel, unseen by humans, which is for magical creatures only. Owner Frankie and his family are preparing for a very special royal guest. The Prince’s demands soon become a lot to handle, especially in a hotel for monsters where anything can happen.

This is a feel-good chapter book which is easy to read and lots of fun. The fantastical characters and the lighthearted humour make The Nothing to See Here Hotel a story-time delight for children aged 7-9.

The Bunny Vs Monkey series by Jamie Smart has become a popular favourite with children. The stories started as part of the Phoenix Comic and have now been made into a book series of their own. Teachers are seeing what a big hit these funny graphic novels have been in the classroom and the books have also seen success in bestseller lists and book award shortlists.

The stories follow the whacky tales of Bunny and his friends Weenie the Squirrel, Pig (the pig), Action Beaver and Skunky the Inventor, who all lived a peaceful life in the forest until Monkey’s rocket crash-landed and he decided to take over. What follows is a riot of chaotic adventures and mayhem that unfolds through a funny comic strip format.

The Dog Man books form a wildly popular children’s book series written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey. The series features a half-dog, half-human police officer who fights crime and saves the day in the city.

Written in a graphic novel format with comic-style illustrations and speech bubbles, these books are popular with children aged 6-9. The series has become known for hooking children into reading through visual humour and wacky storylines. Each story in the Dog Man series is told through several short chapters, and the books can be read in any order.

Readers who enjoy Dog Man might also like to explore our Branching Out list of more books like Dog Man.

This is a fast-paced and fun graphic novel series that is the perfect new read for fans of Bunny vs Monkey, Dog Man and the Beano.

The story follows two cats, who embark upon a hilarious monster-slaying quest to save their town from an attack of sea creatures. This funny graphic novel has Medieval weapons, bumbling wizards, rampaging monsters and wannabe warrior cats.

A young graphic novel series, about two friendly ‘bugbops’ called Bumble and Snug.

This brightly illustrated story is lovely for Key Stage 1 to read independently. The characters are loveable, the story is fun and easy to follow and the comic strip style makes for a really fun read. There are oodles of fun moments to enjoy, from picnics and pirates to jelly and a giant octopus.

Visual readers new to the graphic novel format will find this a real treat.

We are big fans of the InvestiGators graphic novel series. This pun-filled action series is a hit with younger fans of the graphic novel format and has hooked in lovers of Dog Man and The Bad Guys through its full-colour animal antics, funny cases to solve, and clever wordplay.

We love the good, clean fun of this series, and parents and teachers know that young graphic novel fans are in good hands with these books. Author John Patrick Green said of the series, “Of all the comics I’ve created in my professional career, making InvestiGators has come closest to recapturing that feeling of being 11 years old, drawing comics in my bedroom, with the sole intention of making my friends and classmates laugh.”

John’s commitment to child-centred visual humour and puns has clearly paid off and is reflected in the popularity of this series, which teachers and librarians tell us is flying off primary bookshelves at lightning speed. For children, the books are funny from the get-go, and pun-loving grown-ups like us can’t help but smile at the non-stop wordplay woven through the action scenes, too.

The Mr Gum books have become absolute classics for children who love funny books and appeal to those with a wacky style of humour.

You’re A Bad Man Mr.Gum is a stonkingly funny read from Andy Stanton, full of pure silliness and with a track record of delighting children aged 7-10. Mr Gum is mean, untidy, grumpy and grizzly, but he is very good at keeping his garden neat. When an excitable giant dog called Jake makes a mess in Mr Gum’s garden, Mr Gum’s mean streak comes out in hilarious and, fairly ineffective, ways.

Children enjoy the randomness of the dialogue, the unpredictable plot, the funny character names and the author’s witty asides. Illustrations capture the madcap tone of the book and add to the fun.

Aliens Invaded My Talent Show! by Matt Brown (who is also well-known for the Compton Valance series of books) is a middle-grade novel that is sure to be a hit with fans of funny children’s books. I found this to be quick and accessible read that had me giggling and guffawing the whole way through. What I enjoyed the most is the way in which there is a delightfully crafted mix of humour types woven through each chapter; visual (who can resist a good slapstick cake-whizzing-through-the-air scene?), satire that will makes OFSTED-weary teachers smile wryly, farce as the ridiculousness of the extinction scenario mounts, and an abundance of wordplay and puns. The written humour is perfectly accompanied by Paco Sordo’s cartoon-style illustrations…

A laugh-out-loud rumpus woven through a touching story of family and friendship, from the duo behind the popular Charlie Changes into a Chicken series.

If you’ve ever heard a young child asking Siri their questions or scrolled through your family’s Alexa history (from Are you alive? to What’s the best way to get rid of earwax?), you’ll quickly understand the premise for the humour in this story.

This book tells the story of Uma, whose father has barely spoken a word since her mother passed away. Uma’s only real company is next-door neighbour Alan Alan Carrington. One day, after an unlikely alpaca-related incident, Uma comes across a strange earpiece that seems to be able to give the answer to absolutely everything. Or at least, almost everything. What follows is a laugh-out-loud adventure that sees Uma digging deep into her soul to search for answers to questions about her life that she has barely dared to ask before.

Sam Copeland’s writing is characteristically brimming with humour – from bonkers situations and slapstick to puns and witty asides in the footnotes. We loved the characters – particularly the dynamics between Uma and Alan Alan, who are a super duo, and the villainess Stella Daw who is a Cruella De Vil for modern times. The story is also deeply poignant in parts as it explores the themes of family, grief and community. The plot culminates in a riddle to solve deep within a village crypt, and Uma’s intrepid venturing in the underground tunnels beautifully mirrors her own soul-searching as she explores her emotions about her family situation.

This is an absolute winner of a story that has all the right ingredients to be an instant hit with readers in Key Stage 2.

We highly recommend this fun and accessible story, which is perfect for fans on Tom Gates and Wimpy Kid. The doodle-diary style story charts the ups and downs of Stan’s life. Stan loves to use pie charts and Venn diagrams to show how he feels, which adds a super fun element to the book.

There are heaps of humorous moments to laugh at during Stan’s adventures, and also heartwarming parts where Stan and his brother learn to pool their resources and work as a team.

Children who love a visual element to their reading books will enjoy this easy to read story, which is perfect for independent reading in KS2.

Kid Normal is an engaging read for Upper Ks2.

Murph is an ordinary boy who accidentally ends up at a superhero school. While his classmates have extraordinary superpowers, Murph can’t seem to conjure a single superhero skill. Through a series of hilarious twists and turns, he learns that you don’t need superpowers to be a hero and save the day.

With heroes, villains and loads of humour, this is an action-packed treat that will appeal to reluctant and keen readers alike.

This debut novel from Helen Rutter is inspired by her own son who has a stammer, and it delves into the worries and thoughts that Billy has about having a stammer and how he thinks the outside world will see him because of it.

When eleven-year-old Billy starts Bannerdale secondary school, he wants to fit in and be popular. In fact, he hopes to realise his dream of becoming a comedian and being known throughout the school as ‘Billy Plimpton, the Funniest Boy in School’. One thing stands in his way though – he decides he won’t talk until he’s ‘got rid’ of his stammer.

Each chapter begins with one of Billy’s jokes, and although the issues tackled in the book are serious, it’s a warm and funny read. The story shows that we all have differences, and it is important to accept ourselves as we are.

This is a lovely book with a positive message, as well as being packed with jokes which will make both children and adults laugh.

If you have children who like non-fiction then this is a ‘must have’ addition to your school shelves. Humour and history combine with eye catching graphics to introduce us to some well known (and not so well known) super ‘show offs’ from the past.Split into 3 main sections – People in charge, People who think up stuff and People who create things – we meet bold, brilliant characters who are known for their supersized power, riches, glamour, creativity or intelligence.

From the Ancient Indian Maratha warrior queen, Tarabai, to Henry VIII who showed off their power through military skills (and shoulder pads in Henry’s case); to the inventions of the Montgolfier Brothers, whose inaugural hot air balloon flight was staged at the Versaille Palace and the spectacular, showstopping art and architecture of Basquiat and Gaudi; extraordinary tales and quirky facts are shared about these characters who have more than made their mark on history.

The eye-catching design, illustrations and layout of this book make it accessible to a wide range of readers and children will be drawn in by its engaging, chatty, modern vibe. Top Ten’s and ‘battles’ between two brilliant minds in the same field (Edison vs Tesla being one) and a timeline to help give context also add interest. In addition, there are many ways children can interact with the book, with quizzes and questions carefully placed throughout and elements encouraging children to consider how they can stand out in the future.

We were over the moon to open this beautiful and engaging poetry anthology.

Whale of a Time contains a funny poem for every day of the year. It’s a real stunner of a book – a gorgeously bound hardback compendium with full-page colour illustrations by Matt Hunt, who is well known for illustrating funny children’s books.

Readers can have fun dipping in and out of the pages and reading funny poems both familiar and new  – flicking through to the entries for today, tomorrow, our birthdays, family and friends’ birthday and other special dates in the calendar, as well as pausing on random pages that catch our attention due to the illustrations or the titles of the poems.

It’s the kind of collection that is perfect for a teacher’s desk or family coffee table to open when there’s a spare few minutes in the day (and makes a fantastic gift for homes or classrooms). This is a book to treasure and one that sings of the joy of poetry and rhyme.

This colourful, cartoon-style reference book brings history to life with humour and fun. Following on from the enormous success of its award-winning predecessor ‘A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu and You‘, this book is packed full of information and facts, presented in an entertaining comic style that is a joy to read.

The book is divided into three main sections – Ancient History, The Middle Ages, and The Modern Age. Within each section, relevant ‘day in the life’ comics describes certain aspects of history. We learn about the typical day of a Neanderthal, an Inca Farmer, and a Gladiator, as well as the more unexpected daily routines of a wheel, a Samurai sword, and a stick of chalk!

Additional ‘bigger picture’ pages give extra details and more in-depth information – for example on Civil Rights, the Terracotta Army, and the world map. ‘Secret Diaries’ provides a wider viewpoint over a larger timescale – we find out from Isaac Newton’s cat that he got stuck in an apple tree, dislodging one of the fruits; The diary of a wooden board from Leonardo da Vinci’s studio stretches over four hundred years and sees the board end up in an art gallery in Paris. ‘Newsflashes’ are interspersed throughout the book and give more context to the ‘days in the life’ and ‘secret diaries’ by filling you in on what else was happening in the world at the time, and there is also a world map and a glossary for easy reference.

Readers will enjoy the variety of historical information, which feels like a balanced view of different areas of the globe. This is a great book to sit and read individually, or to dip into when exploring related topics.