31 Days, 31 Lists: 2024 Older Funny Books for Kids

Humor is subjective, so I have zero doubt that one of your favorite books for kids that had them rolling in the aisles will be missing from today’s list. For example, where’s the Dog Man? Where the Diary of a Wimpy Kid? While admittedly hilarious in their consistency, my goal here today is to highlight those funny books that aren’t already on everybody’s radars. It’s a wild mix of nonfiction, poetry, comics, novels, and more. And because I’ve such a penchant for humor, you’ll find that a lot of these books show up on other lists as well. So sit back and enjoy the array!

If you’d like like to have a PDF of today’s list, you can find that here.

Need more older funny titles besides today’s books? Then be sure not to miss these previous titles:

• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017

---

2024 Funny Books for Older Readers

Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock by Vikram Madan

Looking for funny poetry? You’ve come to the right place! From nozzlewocks to squishosaurs and everything in-between (whatever that means) you’ll be rolling in the aisles with this hilarious collection. Read through all 128 pages of this delightful collection and then look me in the eye and tell me that this isn’t some of the smartest, most inventive children’s poetry you’ve seen in a long time. It is SO easy to do boring poetry for kids and SO hard to write poetry half as funny as what Madan has come up with here. Funny and fabulously written, this is the poetry I wish we saw more often on our shelves. Previously seen on the Poetry List.

Bunnybirds by Natalie Linn

Why are all the bunnybirds missing? Princess Aster seems to be the only one who cares, and finding the rest of her people will mean pairing with exiled thief Carlin and the many footed dog, Feet. Adventure await! I’ll confess that I didn’t expect such a silly looking book to pack as big a punch as this does. The entire plot essentially focuses on what happens when an entire group decides to push down their trauma and, instead of dealing with it, cling to being happy happy happy all the time. Winged bunnies as a concept just sort of sell themselves, but a lot of time and thought and effort went into this title. Legitimately funny (there are some sight gags that had me hooting out loud) and delightfully written. This is a treat! Previously seen on the Graphic Novels List.

Butt or Face? Revenge of the Butts by Kari Lavelle

More funny nonfiction! More, I say! Now normally I don’t tend to put a lot of sequels on my lists, but you know what helps me override that unofficial rule? Googly eyes. Remember the old Saturday Night Live routine with Christopher Walken saying the word “googly” over and over? Or, to make a more recent reference, the use of googly eyes in Everything Everywhere All at Once? Well, the cover of this latest edition of the “Butt or Face” series (a series that has proved to be WAY more popular than I anticipated) takes full advantage of that fact. But don’t worry. Inside the book there’s ne’er a googly eye to be seen. There doesn’t have to be! As before, the book will show you a section of an animal, and then ask in no uncertain terms “Is it a BUTT or FACE?” This book would probably be an amazing readlaoud to a group of older kids, honestly. Of course, one of its great charms is that once the posterior or kisser is established, Lavelle loads you down with a couple fascinating facts about the critter. My personal favorite? The spicebush swallowtail caterpillar, of course. It looks like a Muppet and seriously makes me wonder how exactly evolution works when it can make such amazing faux peepers.

A Call to Cthulhu by Norm Knoyu, ill. Phoebe Hedges

Man. I’ve needed this book for years and years. Now obviously a picture book called “A Call to Cthulhu” isn’t going to be all sunshine and puppydogs, which is why most libraries are shelving this one in the graphic novels section or middle grade fiction sections of their libraries. But what makes this book so great is that if you, like myself, have only ever had the vaguest possible understanding of the world of H.P. Lovecraft, this book will clear everything up for you. The premise is that Cthulhu is at home, just minding his own business, when he gets a call from some guy explaining (in rhyme no less) PRECISELY why he doesn’t like this particular Great Old One. The crank caller then proceeds to outline a series of plots from fifteen different Lovecraft stories. Don’t worry, there’s a list of these stories in the back of the book giving additional plot rundowns of each. There is also, it must be noted, a very good “Who Was H.P. Lovecraft?” that does not shy away AT ALL from the man’s racism, antisemitism, and love o’ Hitler. It makes reference too to shows and books like “Lovecraft Country” and discusses how contemporary creators tackle this fact. Definitely useful if a kid is like myself and knows next to nothing about these books.

Gnome and Rat: First Snow! by Lauren Stohler

Gnome and Rat: Time to Party by Lauren Stohler

Okay, I just have a weird weakness for this series. So yes, I admit that I have a problem. But apparently, if you create a book and one of the two stars is a little garden gnome-looking-fellow in love with his own hat, how have I any hope of resisting that? These books continue the Gnome and Rat series and, like that book, they are split up into six small stories. In Time to Party, all the stories are party-based, while in First Snow it’s an epic quest to get to a party on time. However, the important thing is how good Stohler is at humor. She kills at it, honestly. I love that she’s doing more and more Gnome and Rat books, but my secret wish is that someday she branches out and does a slew of new picture books as well. I mean, I love her pug stuff, but if she’s this good at creating a jacked up vole then surely there’s more we can see her do. Until then, definitely enjoy these books. They are one-of-a-kind true delights. Previously seen on the Graphic Novel List.

How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger

What’s worse than starting 8th grade? Starting 9th grade instead! When Tara finds herself a sudden high schooler she’ll have to figure out friendship, crushes, family, and who she is to survive in this thoroughly hilarious tale. I’m just going to declare right now the fact that this book is literally as funny as Mexikid. There is no higher praise that I can laud upon it. Now, is it a book about a middle schooler forced to go to high school early? Yes. Does that mean that this book is YA? Not even slightly. Our heroine Tara is squarely a younger kid at heart who would rather play with her toddler little brother than watch gross mature TV shows. She gets a crush, yes, but it’s the tamest thing you ever saw. Plus there are elements to this book I’ve never seen before. The finger game chopsticks (which my own kids play constantly) actually makes it to the page. Honestly it’s the humor that’ll sell it. The English class boys are now officially my favorite fictional characters of 2024. Oh, you gotta read this. Previously seen on the Graphic Novel List.

Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer

After a tricky little aboatia steals something precious from him, Kwame takes a dive into the underworld to get it back. Soon he meets figures from Ghanian mythology, and one with diabolical plans. Can Kwame save us all? Funny, fast-paced, but with lots of heart. So how is this the first book Farmer has written? I tell you, writing a book of this sort is an art and Farmer is already a master. Right from the start he does this incredible job of pulling you in and introducing all the emotions and pertinent details as quickly and efficiently as possible. The fantasy world is complex but not overwhelming and doesn’t require 500 pages of exposition. But most importantly is what it’s doing with the character of Kwame. His grief and emotional journey just click. Plus it has one of those prophecies that actually work on the page rather than just annoying you. This is a fascinating pairing with another Ghanian middle grade novel Flying Through Water. The two books couldn’t be more different but they complement one another nicely.

Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz

Sent off to Britain to escape the Nazis, Max Bretzfeld finds himself hosting two immortal creatures on his shoulders. And when he discovers his new hosts have connections to Britain’s spy ring, he’ll do anything to take part. A rip-roaring adventure! A World War II thriller where a kid has to learn how to spy on Nazis? Yes and please! The fact that Adam Gidwitz is the author is just icing on the cake. Now is this book fast-paced? You bet. Does it involve my favorite trope in literature (clever people being clever)? It does! My one quibble is the magical realism element which I found them a bit superfluous. But you know what’s nice about the guys on Max’s shoulders? Jokes! They have them ah-plenty! Oh, and this book is DEFINITELY the first in a series, so watch out for that. You’ll learn spycraft, you betcha, just don’t expect to use it too much.

The Observologist by Giselle Clarkson

You don’t have to be an adult scientist to explore the world. Become an observologist and use this highly hilarious and factually accurate book to explore nature in your own backyard. It seemed fitting for me to read this after reading the aforementioned How It All Ends by Emma Hunsiger since the two books have a very similar sense of humor. You’d expect that in a comic, but not necessarily in a nonfiction book of this sort. I’m so delighted this got a Kirkus star, since it would have been an easy one to miss. In spite of the fact that this is a New Zealand import, they’ve managed to make this book applicable in a lot of ways to American kids. Granted, they may wonder why “pillbug” isn’t one of the many names given to rollie pollies, and they might notice the sheer number of weirdo New Zealand bugs held up as examples, but there are enough familiar faces here. Let’s just all ignore the fact that being an observologist in New Zealand definitely gives kids of that country an advantage over our own children. This one is a huge hoot. 

Power to the Parasites by Chelsea L. Wood

From the moment I first laid eyes on this book, I knew it was the one for me. Now for whatever reason, publishers like to release their grossest fare at the end of the publishing year. Maybe because they make good Christmas presents? Power to the Parasites most certainly would. Chelsea L. Wood may be a professional parasitologist but if that gig ever goes south then I would like to personally propose that she consider stand-up comedy. And you probably need a dose of humor to deal with these particular creepy crawlies. I was so pleased to discover a mix of facts I already knew and a whole slew I didn’t when I read this. For example, I remembered hearing years ago that there might be a connection between having parasites in your system and our responses to autoimmune diseases but wasn’t certain what it was. Questions answered! This book will either inspire young readers to follow in Ms. Wood’s footsteps and go into this realm of study or it will cause them to swear off the natural world for good. I’d say it’s worth the risk!

Slugfest by Gordan Korman

The Bad News Bears meets the Great British Bakeoff… sorta. Can a group of kids that all failed physical education not only make up for it but go on to win a football seven-on-seven championship? A hilarious tale of slugs, stars, and sumptuous baked goods. I love it! We’re always on the lookout for strong sports-related titles, but boy howdy are they (a) hard to find and (b) not something (quite frankly) that some librarians are crazy about reading. Now have I ever read a Gordon Korman book before? Odds are good that I must have at some point in the past, but darned if I could remember what it was. This book, in contrast, will live in my memory a nice long time. Korman’s clearly a pro at writing a middle grade novel, but he’s also just fun to listen to. You get very invested in these characters. One note? Not sure why he failed to give Fiona her own p.o.v., but aside from that I’m a big time fan. Just don’t read it while hungry.

Survival Scout: Tsunami by Maxwell Eaton III +(BB)

Remember when Ed Young illustrated the picture book Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa. For sheer bone-grinding terror, I’d say that little book would be hard to beat… until now. The Survival Scout series by Eaton has become my go-to place to send kids that are anxious about the natural world and want practical hands-on explanations of how to survive one desperate situation or another. In her last book, Scout survived in the wilderness Hatchet-style (only with better instructions). In this one, she has to survive a tsunami. But long long before we even get to the disaster itself, we have to learn all about the Ring of Fire, earthquakes, plate tectonics, the works. It’s pretty great. Particularly if you live far inland like myself and have zero fear of such disasters. Previously seen on the Graphic Novel List.

Thor: Asgardians by George O’Connor

Thor!! Okay, so like I say, maybe start a kid with this book and not Odin. Odin’s great, don’t get me wrong! It’s just incredibly incredibly weird. So weird that I worry it’s going to turn some kids off right at the start. Why not ease them into the series with some humor instead? Where the first book in this new Asgardians series is relatively serious (there are jokes but it ain’t a yukfest) Thor is just naturally funny. That’s partly how George O’Connor renders him, and partly the nature of his stories. There’s also the fact that though Loki has a cameo in Odin, in Thor he really and truly comes into his own. Now an interesting direction that O’Connor took with this particular book, and much more so than anything he did in his Olympians series (except possibly in Hermes), is Looney Tunes-esque visual gags. There are a couple here and I was HERE for them! Sight gags, bulging eyes, etc. My personal favorite joke in the whole book is when Loki has stolen the hair of Thor’s wife and you get this shot of him, eyes wide, holding the scissors with a pile of blonde hair in front of him. I can’t stress enough how much I love this image of him caught in the act. As with his Olympians series, there’s a load of amusing backmatter to pore through. Previously seen on the Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and Religious Tales List.

What Is Color? The Global and Sometimes Gross Story of Pigments, Paint, and the Wondrous World of Art by Steven Weinberg

We use colors all the time but what are they exactly? Join this wacky deep dive into all your favorites and their murky, dangerous, and often gross beginnings. This is color like you’ve never seen it before! Oh boy, oh boy, this is just loads of fun! I’ve seen plenty of books try to explain where colors come from individually, but rarely do I see a book try to tackle the whole spectrum in one fell swoop. Turns out, Steven Weinberg is just precisely the right guy to do it, though. Honestly, this reads like an advanced version of Jeff Mack’s Time to Make Art (and the two would pair beautifully in a presentation or display hint hint). The book is definitely aimed at older readers, but that’s part of what makes it so much fun. It’s like an inclusive Monty Python running through everything from the LGBTQIA+ flag to cow pee. Lots and lots of cow pee. To my mind it’s all worth it for the sequence on green fashion laden with arsenic and the arms reaching out saying zombie-like, “Must… wear… cool… clothes”. This is a hoot! 

---

So with all that in mind, here are the other lists for 2024:

December 1 – Great Board Books

December 2 – Picture Book Readalouds

December 3 – Simple Picture Book Texts

December 4 – Transcendent Holiday Picture Books

December 5 – Rhyming Picture Books

December 6 – Funny Picture Books

December 7 – CaldeNotts

December 8 – Picture Book Reprints

December 9 – Bilingual Books for Kids

December 10 – Math Books for Kids

December 11 – Books with a Message / Social Emotional Learning

December 12 – Fabulous Photography

December 13 – Translated Picture Books

December 14 – Fairy Tales / Folktales / Religious Tales

December 15 – Wordless Picture Books

December 16 – Poetry Books

December 17 – Unconventional Children’s Books

December 18 – Easy Books & Early Chapter Books

December 19 – Comics & Graphic Novels

December 20 – Older Funny Books

December 21 – Science Fiction Books

December 22 – Fantasy Books

December 23 – Informational Fiction

December 24 – Gross Books

December 25 – Science & Nature Books

December 26 – Unique Biographies

December 27 – Blueberry Award Contenders (Celebrating the Environment)

December 28 – Nonfiction Picture Books

December 29 – Nonfiction Books for Older Readers

December 30 – Middle Grade Novels

December 31 – Picture Books

Filed under: 31 Days 31 Lists, Best Books, Best Books of 2024