Book List: Silly!

Hi All!

I want every student to love reading. Period. Yes, I want them to know their sight words and understand the text and correctly answer comprehension questions. But students who love to read will continue to read, and every book they encounter will expand their world.

To this end, I like to balance my read aloud choices so that there is plenty of time for pure fun. Here are some of my favorite silly stories to read in class. Every class has its own personality and preferences, but this list encompasses books that have the highest hit rate for laughs and requests for repeats.

What is your favorite silly story to read in class? Which ones keep your students giggling the whole time? Let me know in the comments below, and click on the book covers in order to go straight to the book listing on Amazon.

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“Pigeon” series, Mo Willems

“Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”

“The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog”

“The Duckling Gets a Cookie?!”

Willems’ character, Pigeon, is about the silliest pigeon around. And in these interactive, goofy stories, Pigeon’s antics will keep your class laughing all through the book. There are opportunities for deeper dives in most of these stories, but they are also enjoyable just to read. Because most of Willems’ books are dialog based, students tend to quickly remember story lines and even extrapolate their own narrative when reading independently.

“Harry the Dirty Dog”, Gene Zion

Harry, the white dog with black spots who hates baths, goes on an adventure through the city. But after playing and digging and rolling around, he quickly becomes a black dog with white spots, and unrecognizable to his family! Fun, silly, and light-hearted, this book understandably retains its popularity since it’s original 1956 publishing.

“The Watermelon Seed”, Greg Pizzoli

In this story, a crocodile's love of watermelon lands him in a fit of despair as he accidentally swallows a seed! Fearing that a watermelon will begin growing inside him, he vows to never eat watermelon again… until, of course, he burps the seed back up! Pizzoli’s stories are always fun to read aloud, and my students always enjoy his bright illustrations.

“Vegetables in Underwear” and “Fruits in Suits”, Jared Chapman

I will admit that underwear humor is not really my thing, but when our grade-level team purchased these books from the $1 section at Scholastic, even I had to crack a smile. Produce wearing underwear, and utilizing clever plays on words is just fun. And while there are many purposes to reading, it’s important to not forget the pure joy of it.

“Dragons Love Tacos”, Adam Rubin

This book is hilarious. And layered just under that humor, there is a gentle message of kindness and fixing mistakes. Since it’s time on the Bestseller’s list, students have fallen in love with this silly story, and often quote parts verbatim after only a few reads. But any time a story shows characters solving problems, it is worth returning to many times.

“Don't Blink”, Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I love interactive stories because they let kids engage vocally and immediately. This sneaky bedtime story is a great one because it has plenty of places for kids to respond in both words and actions, keeping them hooked on each page!

“Crunch, the Shy Dinosaur”, Cirocco Dunlap

Want to meet Crunch, the shy dinosaur? You have to say hello, but not too loud, or too quietly. And if he gets scared, you’ll have to help him feel comfortable again. Not only does this book give lovely suggestions for making friends with a shy person, it is also engaging and interactive for readers.

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