I Love a Funny Story - Silly Stories for Kids

I love a funny story, whether it is a quiet chuckle or a big belly laugh. I have collected ten series from our library collection for this list, so if you are looking for a good laugh, then look no further...

If you'd like to try any of the recommendations, click on the book cover to place a hold.

Tank and Fizz: The Case of the Slime Stampede by Liam O'Donnell & Mike Deas

These clever monsters are smart and funny! New readers will enjoy the challenge of this chapter book mixed with comic style images.

When the slimes escape, it's up to Tank and Fizz to clear Mr. Snag's, the school's caretaker, name, but they'll have to outwit their eight-legged principal and play with forbidden magic to solve the mystery.

Ivy & Bean by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall

One of my favourite beginner chapter books series!

The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they wouldn't be friends. But when Bean plays a joke on her sister, Nancy, and has to quickly hide and Ivy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes the best of friends are people never meant to like each other. Vibrant characters and lots of humor make this a charming and addictive introduction to the Ivy and Bean Book Series.

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

These books are funny! The funny Viking names are my favourite part! You might have seen the movies based on this series, but like so many movies they couldn’t fit all the details in. Definitely worth the read and makes a good read aloud too!

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name. Hiccup's father is chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe which means Hiccup is the Hope and the Heir to the Hairy Hooligan throne - but most of the time Hiccup feels like a very ordinary boy, finding it hard to be a Hero.

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

This series is hard to categorize, but it is great for kids stretching from picture books and graphic novels to chapter books…And these characters are hilarious.

The Bad Guys, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Piranha, want to be heroes, and they decide that the way to do it is free the 200 dogs in the city dog pound--but their plan soon goes awry.

Gabby & Gator by James Burks

This is a new series by the author of Bird and Squirrel and I think you are going to like this one too!

Gabby and Gator don't fit in with their own kind but when they meet each other they prove that best friends are those who accept you as you are.

Mr. Wolf's Class by Aron Nels Steinke

I haven’t read this one yet, but every kid I know who has says it deserves a spot on the funny books list.

From Eisner Award-winning creator Aron Nels Steinke, a vibrant, funny new series that charmingly captures the everyday antics of a fourth-grade classroom!

Mr. Wolf has just started teaching at Hazelwood Elementary. He wants the first day of school to go well, but he's got his hands full with his new class. Some of his students include: Margot, who is new in town and is trying to make friends.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

This book may appeal to kids that are a little bit older, the main character Greg is starting middle school, but the writing style, graphics and humour have wide reaching appeal!

Greg records his sixth grade experiences in a middle school where he and his best friend, Rowley, undersized weaklings amid boys who need to shave twice daily, hope just to survive, but when Rowley grows more popular, Greg must take drastic measures to save their friendship.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen.

And Then it Happened by M&L Wade

These short stories about the shenanigans three friends get up to are full of practical jokes…just make sure no one gets any big ideas!

Follows the adventures of three boys, Gordon, Paolo and narrator Tim, who constantly get into trouble and tricky situations.

Big Nate Strikes Again by Lincoln Peirce

Similar to Diary of a Wimpy kid, Nate is dealing with Middle School, and using his cartooning skills to get him through.

Sixth-grader and self-proclaimed genius Nate Wright faces his all-time enemy, Gina, when they are paired to work on a research paper together and she also gets a position on his intramural team.

For more recommendations like these, see our other Library Recommendations HERE, or contact the library and we'll be happy to find you a new book to try!

6 Non-Fiction Books (You'll Actually Read)

I am a non-fiction reader by default. I am not sure if it was because I grew up obsessed with learning as much as I could (shout out to my grade 2 teacher Mme Foisy for letting me sneak time in the library at recess!) or if it is because I simply delight in dropping an odd factoid into conversations at parties. Either way, these are all books I truly enjoyed and recommend time and time again for those interested in dipping their toes into non-fiction.

If you'd like to try any of the recommendations, click on the book cover to place a hold.

Plantopedia by Lauren Camilleri & Sophia Kaplan

Like everyone else, we here at the library have gotten obsessed with keeping houseplants. This is the definitive text for potting, maintaining, and loving your houseplants and makes me feel like I can take on indoor gardening beyond owning a spider plant!

Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan from Leaf Supply present a guide to keeping happy, healthy houseplants in any space. Features more than 130 plant profiles, including foliage plants, succulents, and cacti, as well as rarer gems of the plant world; detailed care information, including troubleshooting tips and tricks to ensure that your houseplants thrive; [and] plants for all levels of indoor gardeners, from budding novices to green thumbs and beyond.

Everybody Has a Podcast (Except You) by the McElroy Brothers

I have yet to become rich after reading this book, but that did not make this book any less enjoyable. Man I just really love the McElroys. This is funny, and fascinating if you have ever been curious about how Podcasts work!

From the McElroy Brothers, creators and comedic forces behind the hit podcasts My Brother, My Brother and Me, The Adventure Zone, and many others, comes a helpful and sometimes hilarious how-to podcast guide covering everything you need to know to make, produce, edit, and promote a podcast...and get rich* doing it! (*Results not guaranteed)

A Brief History of Earth by Andrew Knoll

A great primer for those interested in understanding the basics of well…Earth! It is a shockingly quick read, and I now feel like I could definitely answer questions about our origins in the solar system.

Drawing on his decades of field research and up-to-the-minute understanding of the latest science, renowned geologist Andrew H. Knoll delivers a rigorous yet accessible biography of Earth, charting our home planet's epic 4.6 billion-year story. Placing twenty first-century climate change in deep context, A Brief History of Earth is an indispensable look at where we've been and where we're going.

Milk! A 10 000 Year Food Fracas by Mark Kurlansky

Ok, hear me out- This book is FASCINATING! I get so many strange looks when I cite this as a favourite, but it is a wild read. The history milk is shockingly political, and I was riveted the whole time. Mark Kurlansky's first global food history since the bestselling Cod and Salt; the fascinating cultural, economic, and culinary story of milk and all things dairy--with recipes throughout. According to the Greek creation myth, we are so much spilt milk; a splatter of the goddess Hera''s breast milk became our galaxy, the Milky Way. But while mother''s milk may be the essence of nourishment, it is the milk of other mammals that humans have cultivated ever since the domestication of animals more than 10,000 years ago, originally as a source of cheese, yogurt, kefir, and all manner of edible innovations that rendered lactose digestible, and then, when genetic mutation made some of us lactose-tolerant, milk itself. Before the industrial revolution, it was common for families to keep dairy cows and produce their own milk. But during the nineteenth century, mass production and urbanization made milk safety a leading issue of the day, with milk-borne illnesses a common cause of death. Pasteurization slowly became a legislative matter. And today, milk is a test case in the most pressing issues in food politics, from industrial farming and animal rights to GMOs, the locavore movement, and advocates for raw milk, who controversially reject pasteurization. Profoundly intertwined with human civilization, milk has a compelling and a surprisingly global story to tell, and historian Mark Kurlansky is the perfect person to tell it. Tracing the liquid's diverse history from antiquity to the present, he details its curious and crucial role in cultural evolution, religion, nutrition, politics, and economics.

Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered by Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark

I mean…is there any greater advice than that? This book is hilarious, honest and insightful…and is a weird celebration of the people who love True Crime (like me!) The highly anticipated first book by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, the voices behind the #1 hit podcast My Favorite Murder! Sharing never-before-heard stories ranging from their struggles with depression, eating disorders, and addiction, Karen and Georgia irreverently recount their biggest mistakes and deepest fears, reflecting on the formative life events that shaped them into two of the most followed voices in the nation. In Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered, Karen and Georgia focus on the importance of self-advocating and valuing personal safety over being 'nice' or 'helpful.' They delve into their own pasts, true crime stories, and beyond to discuss meaningful cultural and societal issues with fierce empathy and unapologetic frankness.

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

You know how kids love Guinness World Records books? It gives them insight into the strange and bizarre side of society… and this is like the adult version of that. It is full of quick chapters that look into the hidden side of everyday life, and uses economic principals to get to the root of what is really true… The chapter "What do school teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common" is a wild ride!

A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything is the debut non-fiction book by University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt and New York Times journalist Stephen J. Dubner. Published on April 12, 2005, by William Morrow, the book has been described as melding pop culture with economics.

For more recommendations like these, see our other Library Recommendations HERE, or contact the library and we'll be happy to find you a new book to try!

Low Fantasy - What it is, and why you should try it!

Fantasy novels might not be your thing - and that's okay. They often have complex worlds, characters, and magical elements that can be hard to keep track of for casual reading. But, there is a huge variety of sub-genres that are more accessible for many readers.

Low fantasy, for example, is where the world is mostly realistic, with only a few magical or whimsical elements that make the story fantastic, yet plausible. Low fantasy books allow you to escape within the book without having to memorize a map or list of Elfen words in order to enjoy the story. The stories are only slightly outside the realm of possibility - all the better for convincing yourself that it could totally happen, if only you were there to see it.

Here is a list of 10 great low-fantasy books we recommend you try if you're looking to step outside your comfort zone (only a small step!). If you'd like to try any of the recommendations, click on the book cover to place a hold.

Practical Magic (Series) by Alice Hoffman

Yes, THAT Practical Magic, that the movie was based on. There is actually a whole series of books revolving around this story that give you just the right mix of family problems and magic.

For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats. But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape.

One will do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic...

If Sylvie Had Nine Lives by Leona Theis

What if you got to do what you liked, and then try again if it didn't go well?

Meet Sylvie—funny, sly, sensual and flawed. She can’t always count on herself to make good choices. She may or may not recognize a life-or-death moment, may or may not cancel her own wedding with a day to spare, might just try to walk past store security with a little something in her pocket. Like all of us, Sylvie must make decisions that have reverberations for years to come. Unlike the rest of us, Sylvie gets to live more than one life.

The Power by Naomi Alderman

What would the world look like if every woman in the world suddenly had the power to overcome their oppressors, dominate men, and fight for leadership? It might not be what you think...

All over the world women and girls are discovering they have the power. With a flick of the fingers they can inflict terrible pain, and even death. And with this small twist of nature, everything changes drastically. Ambitious and provocative, visceral and page-turning, award-winning author Naomi Alderman's THE POWER at once takes us on a journey to an alternate reality and exposes our own world in bold and surprising ways.

Omens (Series) by Kelly Armstrong

Olivia Taylor Jones, 24, seems to have the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education and is engaged to a handsome young tech-firm CEO with political ambitions. But Olivia's world is shattered when she finds out that she's adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers, each still serving a life sentence.

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?

It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children—four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness—sneak out to hear their fortunes.

The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in '80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality.

Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen

When his wife dies suddenly, Harry Crane leaves his job and old life behind and takes up residence in the woods behind single mother Amanda's house. She and her daughter Oriana have suffered a tragedy of their own and Harry reluctantly agrees to help the little girl in a scheme to escape his past, which just might change his life.

The Witches of New York by Ami McKay

The year is 1880. Two hundred years after the trials in Salem, Adelaide Thom ('Moth' from The Virgin Cure) has left her life in the sideshow to open a tea shop with another young woman who feels it's finally safe enough to describe herself as a witch: a former medical student and "gardien de sorts" (keeper of spells), Eleanor St. Clair. Together they cater to Manhattan's high society ladies, specializing in cures, palmistry and potions--and in guarding the secrets of their clients. All is well until one bright September afternoon, when an enchanting young woman named Beatrice Dunn arrives at their door seeking employment. Beatrice soon becomes indispensable as Eleanor's apprentice, but her new life with the witches is marred by strange occurrences. She sees things no one else can see. She hears voices no one else can hear. Objects appear out of thin air, as if gifts from the dead. Has she been touched by magic or is she simply losing her mind? Eleanor wants to tread lightly and respect the magic manifest in the girl, but Adelaide sees a business opportunity. Working with Dr. Quinn Brody, a talented alienist, she submits Beatrice to a series of tests to see if she truly can talk to spirits. Amidst the witches' tug-of-war over what's best for her, Beatrice disappears, leaving them to wonder whether it was by choice or by force. As Adelaide and Eleanor begin the desperate search for Beatrice, they're confronted by accusations and spectres from their own pasts. In a time when women were corseted, confined and committed for merely speaking their minds, were any of them safe?

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montemore

Time Traveler's Wife meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in a wondrous novel exploring the burdens of time, the endurance of love, and the timelessness of family. Just because life might be out of order, doesn't mean it's broken. It's new years eve 1982, and Oona Lockhart has her whole life before her. At the stroke of midnight she will turn nineteen, and the year ahead promises to be one of consequence. Should she go to London to study economics, or follow her heart and remain at home in Brooklyn to be with her boyfriend? As the countdown to the new year begins, Oona feels lightheaded, woozy, and it's not from the champagne. At the stroke of midnight Oona is torn from her life and everyone she loves, finding herself in her 51 year old body thirty-three years into the future. Greeted by a friendly stranger in a beautiful house she's told is her own, Oona learns that will with each passing year she will leap to another age at random. Still a young woman on the inside, but ever changing on the outside, who will she be next year? Philanthropist? Club kid? World traveler? Wife to a man she's never met? Hopping through decades, and a lifetime Oona Out of Order is a surprising, magical novel that explores the power of love, the bonds of family, and the wonders of life.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Aiden Bishop knows the rules. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others. With a locked room mystery that Agatha Christie would envy, Stuart Turton unfurls a breakneck novel of intrigue and suspense.

For fans of Claire North, and Kate Atkinson, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a breathlessly addictive mystery that follows one man's race against time to find a killer, with an astonishing time-turning twist that means nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

The Blood Gospel (series) by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell

Haunting suspense and sensual atmosphere in a Gothic tale about an ancient order and the hunt for a miraculous book known only as -The Blood Gospel. An earthquake in Masada, Israel, kills hundreds and reveals a tomb buried in the heart of the mountain. A trio of investigators are sent to explore the macabre discovery, a subterranean temple holding the crucified body of a mummified girl.

Do you have low-fantasy recommendations? Comment below!

For more recommendations like these, see our other Library Recommendations HERE, or contact the library and we'll be happy to find you a new book to try!