Friday, April 1, 2011

Seriously Funny Books for April Fools' Day

Holiday books are generally popular, particularly if they relate to Christmas or Halloween (which have entire seasons to move product), and some books are twisted into holiday sales (Patriotic? Move it to July 4th! Has a rabbit? Make it Easter).

April Fools’ Day is one of those holidays kids love – not usually for the pranks, but the chance to tell jokes that have them rolling on the floor. Kids love to laugh, yet this holiday gets one day – April 1st.

Well, here are three books perfect for this undercelebrated holiday – two with the day in mind and one that’s good anytime.

Funny Books for April Fools’ Day

  1. Look Out, It’s April Fools’ Day. New Yorker cartoonist and
    Sesame Street
    writer Frank Morell penned this book back in !985. Found it in my local library. Melvin spends a day trying to trick Marvin without any luck. Marvin just won’t be fooled. It isn’t until he says something true – in a classic gag – that they end up sharing a laugh and enjoying the rest of the day.
  2. April Fool! Watch Out at School. Diane deGroat’s Gilbert can’t wait to pull off a whole series of pranks at school in this 2010 book. His only problem is everyone else has the same idea. Gilbert can’t get a joke in edgewise, at least until he comes up with a new plan. A plan that keeps a classmate constantly worried that “he’s next.”
  3. I Will Surprise My Friend. The second book on this list from a
    Sesame Street
    writer, Mo Willems, isn’t about April Fools’ Day at all, but can be twisted toward that end. Elephant and Piggie decide to surprise each other, a trick that doesn’t go according to plan. Which means, of course, they end up surprising each other in a whole other way. Great fun, as always, from Mo.

Thanks for reading this post. And I know I didn’t keep up my end of the bargain – if I really celebrated April Fools’ Day like a kid, my April Fools’ list wouldn’t have included any April Fools’ books! The old bait and switch. Gets ‘em every time.

Well, maybe next time. Happy April Fools’ Day!

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