Funny books

From bottoms and pants to kung-fu pandas and monsters, there is a story for every child in this great list of funny books that will have you and your child rolling about with laughter.

  • Pants

    by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Nick Sharratt 

    2003 0 to 7 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books

    From hairy pants, scary pants and fairy pants, to loose pants, tight pants and lighting up at night pants, this must-have picture book explores every possible variation on the theme.

  • Ten Green Bottoms

    by Barry Timms, illustrated by Mike Byrne 

    2024 2 to 7 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books
    • Poetry and rhyme

    Ten green alien bottoms bounce around, causing mayhem. Based on a well-known song, and with buckets of humour and a light counting theme, this is a very enjoyable read.

  • This is Not My Hat

    by Jon Klassen 

    2012 2 to 9 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books

    A little fish has stolen an equally small bowler hat from a much bigger fish. Hiding himself in the weedsm, he is confident he won’t be discovered – but the big fish is on his trail…

  • The Day the Crayons Quit

    by Oliver Jeffers, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers 

    2013 4 to 9 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books

    Award-winning illustrator and artist Oliver Jeffers has teamed up with film writer and director Drew Daywalt to create this gorgeously colourful picture book.

  • The New Small Person

    by Lauren Child 

    2014 2 to 7 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books

    An endearingly funny story, featuring Lauren Child’s heart-warming illustrations, about the arrival of a new sibling and the havoc that ensues.

  • Unicorn Not Wanted

    by Fred Blunt 

    2023 4 to 7 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books

    This is NOT a story about unicorns. Or pugs. It is set in the Wild West, with cowboys. But hang on a minute – who’s that? Toddlers will giggle away as a unicorn and pug desperately try to infiltrate this very silly picture book story.

  • Watch Out! There’s a Monster Coming!

    by Karl Newson, illustrated by Zehra Hicks 

    2024 2 to 7 years 

    • Adventure
    • Funny
    • Interactive
    • Picture books
    • Poetry and rhyme

    Tiptoeing, sneaking,snuffling and creeping, a monster travels far and wide in pursuit of its favourite snack. But will it find what it hungers for? And is it what we expected? 

  • Funnybones

    by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Janet Ahlberg 

    1999 4 to 9 years 

    • Classics
    • Ghost story
    • Picture books

    In the first book of this now classic series, we are taken down the dark, dark street to the dark, dark house and into the dark, dark cellar in which the skeletons live.

  • Dogs Don’t Do Ballet

    by Anna Kemp, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie 

    2010 4 to 9 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books

    Everyone knows that dogs don’t do ballet, except for one little girl in Miss Polly’s ballet class.