Highlights has tons of joke books, but this one, as promised, is the heftiest. Kids can use the table of contents to head straight to the sections that match their interests—Funny Food, Dino Laughs, Hysterical History, and plenty more. 6. National Geographic Kids Just Joking LOL by National Geographic Kids (1–8) Ben discovers that his granny, who smells of cabbage, is an international jewel thief. He plots to steal the Crown Jewels, the only jewels she hasn’t stolen yet. May put your child off cabbage for life! As funny as only David Walliams can be. Frank Cottrell Boyce on why reading for pleasure is the most important thing you can pass on to a child

You may have met the ‘seriously real’ Clarice Bean in her picture books; here she’s at school in a longer story wondering why it is that opening your mouth can get you into so much trouble. She dreams, she plans, and she tries very hard to learn to spell—and she’s very, very funny. Children never tire of Dahl and he’s riding high at the moment as the king of children’s theatre. This title is very popular but there are many more to choose from. In the Who Let The Gods out series, Maz Evans cleverly makes us laugh and cry in equal measure – something that takes great skill - and has resulted in her building a huge following of devoted fans. There are lots of standout characters to enjoy, but for me, Hermes steals the show. Bosh! This may seem a little young but the clever rhyming text is quite a challenge to read and a real pleasure when you manage it. And this age group still love pictures, even if they’re of an invisible cat. Who could resist a story that makes you laugh and is crammed full of chocolate? This adventure is a joy from start to finish, as we follow Jelly on her quest to stop the chocopocalypse. It also features my favourite fictional grandma! 3. The Giggler Treatment by Roddy DoyleClassrooms that love classics from this timeless author will enjoy how the funnies are arranged on spreads linked to favorite titles. From Miss Trunchbull’s Banned School Jokes to BFG’s Giant Jokes, all our favorite Dahl books get their mention. The illustrations from Quentin Blake add to the fun. 8. The Big Book of Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids: A 3-in-1 Collection by Rob Elliott (2 and up)

Frank is into science and how things work, and he loves inventing stuff. When a lightning storm brings his robots Klink and Klank to life, things really begin to happen. I didn’t know that science—and there’s a lot of it in this book—could be so funny. There are currently four books in the Dave Pigeon series, and I hope they keep coming. The stories are perfectly pitched at younger readers, with cheeky humour and an engaging first person narrative coupled with hilarious illustrations. Like Dave and Skipper, Swapna and Sheena make the perfect team! More than just a joke book, this is a really a deep dive into the world of comedy. Plenty of one-liners, “story” jokes, delivery tips, profiles of comics, like Ben Stiller and Will Smith, and definitions of key vocabulary give kids all they need to learn to be a stand-up star. This book is absolutely ridiculous, in the funniest way. The Gigglers are such a brilliant creation, and the way they punish grown ups for telling off children is genius. Prepare yourself for a lot of sniggering! 4. Iguana Boy by James Bishop and Rikin Parekh Horrid Henry and his brother, Perfect Peter, really make children laugh, and children want to read about them over and over again. Lots of stories to choose from, all resulting in giggles.Many joke books repeat the same classic one-liners, but this collection gets points for originality. It’s filled with references to popular middle-grade topics—think zombies and video games. 10. Joke-Lopedia: The Biggest, Best, Silliest, Dumbest Joke Book Ever! by Eva Blank, Alison Benjamin, Roseanne Green, Ilana Weitzman, and Lisa Sparks (4 and up) This book is hilarious! Stinkbomb and his little sister, Ketchup-Face, journey to the king to get help in dealing with a thieving badger. You have to read it to get the madness. Works with five to ten year olds. Spud Murphy, a battle-axe of a librarian, has forgotten that books are for enjoying. It takes a couple of children to sort things out. Who wouldn’t want a magic finger that can change annoying things when necessary? Dahl is at his best here with horrible villains, a child hero, revenge, and, of course, plenty of humour.

This publisher produces books with dyslexic children in mind, but they can be enjoyed by all children. This one, by the author of the popular Mr Gum series, is great. Matthew Buzzington has a special gift—he can turn himself into a fly—and you’ll never guess what his little sister can do. Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Badgers by John Dougherty, illustrated by David Tazzyman (Oxford University Press) Books are absolutely crucial in getting us to think about new worlds': we speak to the award-winning author, Onjali Q RaufThe visual appeal of the titles in the Just Joking series is unparalleled. Jokes ARE funnier when presented in speech bubbles on photos of smiling wild animals. Heavy on the puns, break out this title when you study homophones. (What do you get if you deposit a skunk in your bank account? Dollars and scents.) 7. Roald Dahl Whoppsy-Wiffling Joke Book by Roald Dahl (2–6) Read our book review of Iguana Boy Saves the World with a Triple Cheese Pizza 5. Max and the Millions by Ross Montgomery For me it’s a rollercoaster of emotions that I’m trying to manipulate the reader into’ - Alex Wheatle on fictional world building, creating new language and seeing yourself in a book