Whether you’re traveling this spring break or kicking back at home, bust out a gut-busting book! April is National Humor Month, and who can’t use some laughter, in April and beyond? These stories for preschoolers through teens will have you and your family in stitches.
Kitties on Dinosaurs
By Michael Slack
Dial, 2020, hardcover, $17.99
Ages 4–8
Three little cats have climbed everything possible on Kitty Island. So what do they do next? Cross over to Dinosaur Island to climb dinosaurs, of course! The narrator warns against it, but the kitties come up with plan after plan to summit the reptiles. Will they succeed—or end up as dino treats? Anyone familiar with cats and their climbing habits will find this picture book extra humorous. The author-illustrator leaves the results of the kitties’ plans to the pictures, and their “litter mobile” adds extra hilarity. The wide-eyed kitty expressions make the reader say “Awww!” and then laugh at their innocence on the treacherous mission. Cute, crazy, and dino-delightful.
Stand Up, Yumi Chung!
By Jessica Kim
Kokila Books, 2020, hardcover, $16.99
Ages 9–12
The summer before seventh grade, Yumi is determined to ditch her perm and raise her stand-up comedic confidence so she won’t be bullied anymore. Her parents, however, insist she take an exam prep class. Their Korean barbeque restaurant is failing, and they need the scholarship to keep Yumi in her elite school. When Yumi discovers her favorite online comedian teaching a comedy class nearby, she can’t resist popping in—and soon she’s part of the camp. But the deceit she must carry out affects relationships with her friends, comic mentor, and family. Will she be able to stand up for herself—and the truth? Yumi is a sweet character who learns the power of her own story. While many plot points are based on coincidences, the heartfelt sentiment and humor are strong (and enhanced by Greta Jung’s narration in the audiobook (Listening Library, 2020)). Yumi’s family shows personal growth, and the food scenes will leave the reader’s mouth watering.
Tweet Cute
By Emma Lord
Wednesday Books, 2020, hardcover, $17.99
Ages 12–18
Pepper’s parents own Big League Burger, a successful franchise newly headquartered in NYC. Jack’s parents own Girl Cheesing, a struggling NYC neighborhood deli that his grandmother founded. The two have been classmates for three years, but never crossed paths as Pepper is interested in overachieving her way into an Ivy League college, and jokester Jack just wants to create apps. But in their senior year, they get pulled into a Twitter war over a grilled cheese sandwich both families claimed to have originated. Amidst real life flirtations and online secret identities, the two figure out who and what is really important. Told from both Pepper’s and Jack’s points of view (and aptly narrated by Emily Shaffer and Dan Bittner in the audiobook (Macmillan, 2020)), this romantic comedy is pitch perfect and full of crushes, awkwardness, and social media drama.
Picture Books
Little Green Donkey
By Anuska Allepuz
Candlewick, 2020, hardcover, $16.99
Ages 3–6
On Account of the Gum
By Adam Rex
Chronicle, 2020, hardcover, $17.99
Ages 4–8
No Reading Allowed: The Worst Read-Aloud Book Ever
Written by Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter, and Illustrated by Bryce Gladfelter
Sourcebooks, 2020, hardcover, $17.99
Ages 5–8
Early Readers
What About Worms?
By Ryan T. Higgins
Hyperion, 2020, hardcover, $9.99
Ages 4–8
Middle Grade
Karen’s Worst Day
By Ann M. Martin and Katy Farina
Graphix, 2020, paperback, $10.99
Ages 7–10
Lupe Wong No Baila (Spanish)
Lupe Wong Won’t Dance (English)
By Donna Barba Higuera
Levine Querido, 2020, hardcover, $17.99
Ages 9–12
Class Act
By Jerry Craft
Quill Tree Books, 2020, hardcover, $12.99
Ages 10–14
Squirm
By Carl Hiassen
Yearling, 2020, paperback, $7.99
Ages 10–14
Young Adult
10 Things I Hate About Pinky
By Sandhya Menon
Simon Pulse, 2020, hardcover, $18.99
Ages 14–18
Frankly in Love
By David Yoon
Penguin, 2020, paperback, $10.99
Ages 14–18
Instant Karma
By Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends, 2020, hardcover, $18.99
Ages 14–18
Kind of a Big Deal
By Shannon Hale
Roaring Brook, 2020, hardcover, $18.99
Ages 14–18
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