Laugh-out-Loud Books

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 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Disability, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a children’s novel, was written by Jack Gantos. The book was initially published in 1998 by Square Fish, a trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group; the work was a National Book Award Finalist, an American Library Association notable children’s book, and the School Library Journal’s book of the year. The novel’s 10-year-old protagonist, Joey Pigza, deals with an unnamed hyperactive disorder, abandonment, and academic problems before finding some stability after his... Read Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2021

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Humor, Animals, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Children's Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2000

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Teams

Tags Food, Arts / Culture, Humor

Kitchen Confidential is a nonfiction work by chef, author, and travel television host Anthony Bourdain, based on his 1999 essay, “Don’t Eat Before Reading This,” published in The New Yorker. In part a memoir of Bourdain’s years in the restaurant industry, it is also a candid exposé of New York City’s restaurant scene in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s. Bourdain takes his readers on a wild ride through his career journey while providing a realistic... Read Kitchen Confidential Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Animals, Fantasy, Children's Literature


Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers

Tags History: U.S., History: World, French Literature, Biography, American Revolution, Humor, Politics / Government

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States is a 2015 history of America written by Sarah Vowell. Vowell uses the perspective of the Marquis de Lafayette—a Frenchman who longed to fight with the Americans and win military glory—to give an irreverent, timely history of the United States, with relevant implications for America’s modern political situation.When Lafayette came to America, he was only 19. He was a wealthy, educated orphan who wanted to acquire personal honor and... Read Lafayette in the Somewhat United States Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Absurdism, Religion / Spirituality, History: World


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Sports, History: World, Humor

The Last Days of Summer is an epistolary novel written by Steve Kluger and published in 1998. The novel offers a view into the life of Joey Margolis, an articulate, resourceful, tender-hearted young Jewish baseball fan who resides in Brooklyn, New York during the 1940s. His parents’ divorce results in Joey’s estrangement from his father, who marries a Manhattan socialite and fails to maintain contact with his son, as well as relocation from the Hasidic... Read Last Days of Summer Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Society: Economics, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams

Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Business / Economics, Class, American Literature, Education, Education

Lawn Boy, a novella by Gary Paulsen published in 2007, is a middle grade chapter book about a 12-year-old boy who receives an old lawn mower as a birthday gift from his grandmother. As underwhelming as the gift appears, this moment launches a sequence of events that ends with the boy owning $480,000 and being the sole investor of a heavyweight boxer. Full of quirky humor and digestible lessons in capitalism, Paulsen’s story leads the... Read Lawn Boy Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Animals, Humor, Children's Literature


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Animals, Society: Community

Tags Children's Literature, Humor, Action / Adventure, Animals


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality

Tags LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor

Written by Andrew Sean Greer and published in 2017, Less is a satirical comedy novel. It portrays the journey of Arthur Less, who after a difficult breakup plots a round-the-world trip to better understand himself. It won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.Plot SummaryApproaching 50, Arthur Less sits in a hotel lobby waiting to be picked up for a literary event. He is a writer and will be interviewing another writer, albeit a sci-fi author... Read Less Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future

Tags LGBTQ, Humor, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Historical Fiction, Humor, Gender / Feminism, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Humor, Asian Literature