Our Laugh-out-Loud Books Collection highlights titles that bring levity to literature through satire, dark humor, or hilarious dialogue. Representing genres ranging from romantic comedies to classic children's titles, this Collection features titles to tickle every reader's funny bone.
Publication year 1982
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past
Tags History: U.S., Great Depression, Journalism, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction, Biography
Russell Baker (b. August 14, 1925) is an American newspaper columnist, humorist, political satirist, and author. He earned a B.A. from Johns Hopkins in 1947 and began his career at the Baltimore Sun as a police reporter. He was a columnist at the New York Times from 1962 to 1998 and host of PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre from 1992 to 2004.His Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Growing Up (1982), recounts his childhood and adolescence during the Great Depression... Read Growing Up Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Society: Education
Tags Humor, Science / Nature, Food, Health / Medicine
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Drawing on his childhood experiences, Gary Paulsen’s novel for young readers, Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered (1993, 1st edition), contains 12 vignettes chronicling the narrator’s visit to his distant relatives on a farm over one summer. In addition to the culture shock of adjusting to rural life, the book also centers on the narrator’s relationship with his reckless and adventurous country cousin, Harris, and the process of finding acceptance as part of a family... Read Harris and Me Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, Humor
Publication year 1950
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Humor, Music, Romance, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
High Fidelity is a 1995 fiction novel by the English author Nick Hornby. It tells the story of Rob Fleming, an obsessive music fan who examines his top five worst break ups to understand his most recent heartbreak. The book was adapted into a musical, a television series, and 2000 film starring John Cusack and directly by Stephen Frears.Plot SummaryRob Fleming is the 35-year-old owner of a record store in London. When his girlfriend Laura... Read High Fidelity Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Animals
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction
Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen, is a humorous adventure novel for middle-grade readers in which a group of children tries to save the habitat of a colony of owls from being bulldozed. Published in 2002, the book became a New York Times bestseller, won a Newbery Medal, and has been made into a motion picture. Author Hiaasen is an award-winning journalist and columnist for the Miami Herald. He has written nearly three dozen books, including six... Read Hoot Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Environment
Tags Humor, Romance, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language
Tags Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Self Help, Humor
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Philosophy, Humor, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 1973
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
In the novel How to Eat Fried Worms, a boy accepts a $50 bet from a friend to eat 15 worms in 15 days, but as he nears victory, he faces a flurry of nasty tricks and traps that go wildly out of control. Written by Thomas Rockwell, son of the famous American illustrator Norman Rockwell, and published in 1973, the book sold over three million copies, won several awards, was a target of censors... Read How To Eat Fried Worms Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Humor
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe (2010) is a science fiction novel by American writer Charles Yu. Yu wrote the novel after merging two separate story ideas—one about a father-son relationship and the other about a man who keeps waking up in different universes. The narrative views the emotional tension between the father and son through the lens of quantum mechanics and popular philosophy. The novel was a finalist for the John... Read How To Live Safely In a Science Fictional Universe Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature
Publication year 2013
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Humor, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Animals, Biography
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Humor
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Contemporary Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction