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8 new(ish) funny books for kids age 8+

8 new(ish) funny books for kids age 8+

Kids love funny books. We know this because the top 10 bestsellers in the 8+ market every year invariably contain a high percentage of fun, humorous reads.

We asked young book reviewer Book Boy Jr (12) to recommend some new(ish) funny books  for kids by Australian authors that are guaranteed to tickle the funny bones of readers 8+.

You can’t go wrong by putting a few of these on the holiday reads list.

8 (very) funny books for kids

Squidge Dibley Destroys The School

by Mick Elliott

Funny books for kids - Squidge Dibley

This book is about a grade-six boy whose world is turned upside down when a new teacher arrives at school – and a new student called Squidge Dibley causes mayhem in the classroom. It’s a fun, easy read, full of little illustrations.

Click here for full review. 
Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.

Secrets Of A Schoolyard Millionaire

by Nat Amoore

Funny books for kids - Schoolyard Millionaire

This is the tale of a young girl who sets out to be the best business woman ever and to get rich. Only one problem: she’s in year five. Then, one day, Tess finds a big bag of money…

Click here for full review. 
Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.


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The New Kid (Unpopular Me)

by James O’Loghlin

Funny books for kids - Unpopular Me

This is the story of Sam, who moves to Canberra in grade six, and decides he is going to make himself The Most Popular Kid Ever. It is a very entertaining story. See James O’Loghlin discussing the book on ABC ME:

Click here for full review. 
Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.

The Quest Diaries of Max Crack

by Jules Faber

Funny books for kids - Max Crack

Jules Faber is best known as the illustrator of the WeirDo series by Anh Do, which I really like. This book is about Max, a new kid in Piddown, who decides to leave his embarrassing past behind and do all the things he’s ever dreamed of. He calls them his quests. It’s a good mix of illustration and story.

Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.

The Peski Kids

by R A Spratt

Funny books for kids - The Peski Kids

The first book in this series is called ‘The Mystery of the Squashed Cockroach’, so you kind of know what you’re in for. Anyone who has brothers and sisters will like Joe, Fin and April, and if you throw in spies and criminal masterminds, it’s a lot of fun.

Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.


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Funny Kid: Slapstick

by Matt Stanton

Funny Books for kids - Funny Kid

This is the latest installment in a fun series about Max (the funny kid) and his friends. In this book, Max has been forced to join an ice hockey team. I really like the illustrations in this series. You can watch and listen to Matt Stanton reading the first chapter here:

Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.

Total Quack Up Again!

Edited by Sally Rippin and Adrian Beck, Illustrated by Jules Faber

Funny books for kids - Quack Up Again

This book has lots of short stories by lots of great authors, like Tim Harris, Nat Amoore, Felice Arena, Kim Kane, Belinda Murrell and Nova Weetman, so there’s a lot of variety. It’s an easy read, and all the royalties from book sales go to Dymock’s Children’s Charities to help give other kids access to books.

Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.

Funny Bones

Edited by Oliver Phommavanh, Kate Temple, Jol Temple

Funny books - Funny Bones

Another short story collection featuring lots of great authors and illustrators, like Andy Griffiths, Garth Nix, Tristan Bancks, Jacqueline Harvey, Deborah Abela and more. Oliver Phommavanh is one of my favourite authors and very funny, so his story choices are too. All royalties to War Child.

Click here to buy the book from Booktopia.

Can you recommend some more funny books for kids in this age group?

Find more great reviews for kids of all ages at Book Boy, the blog run by Book Boy Jr and his older brother Book Boy (15).