Funny Books

One of our summer quests challenges the reader to find (and read!) a humorous book. Do you like jokes or do you prefer a long, funny story?

1. Joke books
   In the kids room: most are in 818 (miscellaneous), though you will find an occasional joke book in 793.7 (the puzzle/riddle area)
   The subject tracing is: Jokes
   web sites: yahooligan jokes / scatty
   On the adult side of the library: go to 817 (humor)
   The subject tracing is American wit and humor
   You can find plenty of adult joke sites on your own and you may already get thousands of jokes via e-mail.
   Why would both the Dewey numbers and the subject tracings be different in the two collections? No idea.
2. Funny essays, short pieces. anecdotes
   In the J room. ??? Perhaps this form of literature doesn't exist for kids. On the adult side it is very popular. Look for books, CDs and tapes by Sedaris, Barry, Keillor and their many cousins.
   Deweys: 814 (essays), 817 (humor), 818 (miscellaneous writings) and elsewhere - funny books are scattered throughout history, geography and sociology.
   Subject tracing: once again, American wit and humor
3. Funny novels (chapter books)
   Easy to find in the J room. Not only are many of the books in all the fiction categories funny, you can find the names of a some of the best authors by looking for the subject tracing Humorous stories.
   Website: 3 silly chicks
   In the adult area you are on your own. Funny novels are relatively uncommon, but try looking for books by Westlake, Devries, Wodehouse, Pratchett, Twain, Caudwell, Hiassen. For a good list please read this post and the comments. Need more? Check here for additional suggestions.

What do you do if a dragon bites your library book?
   Take the words right out of his mouth.

Knock knock.
   Who's there?
   Cardigan.
   Cardigan who?
   Oh, no! I went to the library and forgot my card-igan!

library comics