I love a good picture book - especially if it makes my children laugh. And even more so if it makes me laugh, too. Since we can all use a good laugh now and then, I hereby present our top five favorite funny picture books.

#5. The Messy Family by Katherine Pebley O'Neal and Laura Huliska-Beith

Even if you consider your family a messy one, chances are you aren't quite as messy as this messy family. We catch them trying to clean up for company - emphasis on trying. But they just have too many other things to do, including helping an eldery couple, taking donations to the shelter, and helping to build a "habitat" house. When their company does come, though, God blesses their mess.

I do appreciate the message here - that we should focus on more important things than a spotless house - but the laughs really come in when you and your kids look at the pictures in this book. My kids never fail to crack up when the kids clean their room by stuffing things under the bed, for example, and they think it's funny that the family discovers all kinds of critters hidden in their mess.

We also enjoy The Loud Family and The Silly Family, by the same author/illustrator team - but, perhaps because we are a bit messy ourselves, The Messy Family is our fav.

#4. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett

Quite probably, you've seen the movie by this same title, but trust me - the book is almost entirely different! Grandpa loves to tell his grandchildren stories, and his yarn about a little town called Chewandswallow - whose food is supplied entirely by the weather - will fill you with chuckles, gafaws, and laughter. (We especially love how the townspeople escape Chewandswallow when the weather becomes too much - using a giant peanut butter sandwich with sails made from cheese.)

#3. The Knight Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Barbara Shook Hazen and Tony Ross


Sir Fred is an honorable man and a noble knight...but he's terrified of the dark. He keeps an electric eel in his bedroom, and a jar of fireflies on his "knight table." But when his beloved Lady Wendylyn begins to wonder why Sir Fred will only meet her once in a while (when the moon is full), Sir Fred faces his fear head on so as not to loose her. Armed with his light producing critters, he heads into the dark to meet his lady - who, with a shriek, "saves him" from the glowing creatures who are "attacking" him. In the end, Sir Fred confesses his fear, and Lady Wendylyn realizes he's even more noble and brave than she thought.

Read it and laugh, my friends!


  
#2. Too Many Toys by David Shannon

Laugh and learn how Spencer and his mom deal with the fact that he has way too many toys. Although going through the toys and coming up with a large box of them to donate isn't easy (afterward, Spencer's mom needs a cup of tea and a little rest), they both get a big surprise at the end of the book.

My children get big belly laughs every time we read this one - and it makes eliminating some of our household toys easier, too, because we quote the book as we go along. Who could have thought a book about children giving away their toys could be so funny?

#1. Parts by Tedd Arnold

Here's a little boy who comes to the sudden realization that he's falling apart! The flint in his belly button indicates his stuffing is coming out. The gray, wet stuff that falls from his nose must be his brain falling out. The bit of skin that fell off his foot means his skin is all peeling away. He's terrified he'll cough and his head will fall off!

This book is brilliant. And makes me (and, oh yeah, my kids) laugh every. single. time. That is all.