The power of funny books

Funny books are a serious business. It’s easy to dismiss them as frivolous and silly, but for nurturing a love of reading and encouraging reluctant readers in particular, they are extremely powerful. It’s hard to resist the lure of a story that’s going to make you laugh, so here are just three of the many reasons why we love funny books:

They are perfect for sharing

We talk a lot about the power of reading aloud and enjoying books as a social experience, whatever your child’s age. Funny books make the perfect family bedtime story – is there a better way to unwind and bond after a busy day than by laughing together?

The fantastic illustrations

Funny books are often accompanied by the most fantastic illustrations, which bring the story alive and encourage children to engage with characters and the often ridiculous situations they find themselves in.

They can pack a punch

You may feel that ‘serious’ books are more intellectually nourishing but there is in fact plenty of scope for serious issues to be addressed in funny books, just in a more subtle way. Children will think about empathy and compassion, friendships and self-worth without even realising it!

So when you’re thinking of gifts for the children you know this Christmas, why not consider a funny book or two? Whether it’s bestsellers like Roald Dahl and David Walliams, or something less mainstream like the nominees for the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards, there’s so much to choose from. We’ve sent our subscribers quite a few laugh out loud book this year too: The Pudding Problem by Joe Berger and I Swapped My Brother on the Internet by Jo Simmons were particular favourites. You can also find loads of our recommendations on Instagram under #parrotstreetrecommends.