5 laugh-out-loud reads for the summer holidays
Published on: 21 July 2023 Author: Ben Davis
My Brilliant Plan to Fix Everything author Ben Davis recommends five fabulously funny books that'll have you chortling.
If you know me in real life or follow me on social media (@bendavis_86 on Twitter and TikTok, guys) you will know that my instinct is always to make jokes.
Having a good day? Joke. Having a bad day? Joke. Currently in a situation where a joke is the last thing that would be appropriate? Joke. What I'm trying to say is, I'm very annoying.
This approach to life also extends to my writing. Many of my books are about very serious subjects, but I love to inject lots of humour so things don't get too heavy.
My book My Brilliant Plan to Fix Everything is exactly that. It's about a kid trying to save his parents' marriage by doing his dad's postal round over the summer. And jokes? Let's just say it's all in the... delivery.
Leaving that particularly bad joke aside, let's press on with my top five funny books...
1. Dave Pigeon by Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Sheena Dempsey
These books are so perfectly put together. The first book is about the adventures of the heroic Dave and his struggles with Mean Cat. Skipper has my heart, though.
2. My Headteacher is a Vampire Rat by Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Thomas Flintham
I love how this book is written exactly how kids relay a story: breathless and full of digressions. Super, super fun.
3. My Brother's Famous Bottom Makes a Splash by Jeremy Strong, illustrated by Rowan Clifford (cover by Nick Sharratt)
A perfect depiction of the chaos and weirdness of family holidays.
4. The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter
This is exactly what I look for in a book, and the kind of thing I like to write myself: a serious subject tackled in a funny way. This one is about Billy and his struggles with his stammer when starting secondary school.
5. The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by J.C. Pearson, illustrated by Rob Biddulph
Anyone who knows me will tell you how much I love a comedy trio, and Freddie, Ben and Charlie are a fine example of this tradition. Hilarious and heart-warming.
My Brilliant Plan to Fix Everything by Ben Davis is out now.
