HUMOROUS
SHORT STORIES / PLAYS
Ribbiting Tales: Original Stories about Frogs. Springer, Nancy * “Leapin' frogs! Here's a hopping good collection of humorous stories starring our slimy green friends. In Ribbeting Tales, eight of today's most beloved writers -- Bruce Coville, Robert J. Harris, Brian Jacques, Janet Taylor Lisle, David Lubar, Stephen Menick, Nancy Springer, and Jane Yolen -- pay homage to frogs with original stories that entertain and delight.”
Humorous Plays for Teen-Agers. Hamlett, Christina A collection of one-act comedies, melodramas, and curtain raisers; for use in schools, clubs, drama groups, and libraries; and using real-life situations and dialogue.
Tripping Over the Lunch Lady: and Other School Stories. “An anthology of ten humorous short stories about life in school, written by well-known authors of children's books.”
Jack’s New Power: Stories From A Caribbean Year. Gantos, Jack “Jack, 13, keeps a diary of his family's year in Barbados. These entries are his adventures, observations, sketches, and perceptions of this mid-1960s Caribbean environment where pubescence, family disputes, and a fire all combine for a compelling read. Each episode stands on its own, but taken together they create a tropical world that is at once different and universal.”
Nastybook. Yourgrau, Barry “Forty-three stories feature such characters as guardian angels who run away from their charges, witches who use the Internet to stalk their victims, and pandas who work as assassins.”
5 Novels. Pinkwater, Daniel “An omnibus edition featuring five popular novels by Daniel Pinkwater includes the complete texts of Slaves of Spiegel, the Last Guru, Young Adult Novel, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, and Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars.”
BIOGRAPHIES
Curly: An Illustrated Biography of the Superstooge. Maurer, Joan Howard “Joan Howard Maurer gives the reader a very in-depth look into the life of her famous uncle. Curly's brilliance as a comedian is evident in her well-written biography. She also does quite well at showing that Curly was a shy, private person when "off-camera."
Adam Sandler: American Comedian. Crawford, Bill “Sandler has emerged as the decade's most unstoppable comedic-and the ladies love him! But how many people know the story behind this lovable comedic prodigy's ascent to fame? Bill Crawford takes you back to Sandler's childhood in a small New Hampshire Town, where his stand-up routines were always hits with his classmates but not necessarily the teachers! When Adam left his small town to take on the big city at New York University, it wasn't always easy, Sandler performed as a street musician crooning Springsteen songs to commuters, but he was destined to succeed.”
The Life and Humor of Robin Williams. David, Jay “The Life and Humor of Robin Williams offers his millions of fans a lively, thorough account of Robin Williams's life and career. Chronicling the early years, from his supportive Chicago childhood to his first college improv class, the book goes on to describe the actor's rapid descent into Hollywood's fast lane. But Williams cleaned up his life and made a breakthrough into serious acting with his extraordinary performance in The World According to Garp and the steady climb ever since to his more recent, Oscar-winning triumph in Good Will Hunting.”
Jim Carrey: The Joker is Wild. Knelman, Martin “Knelman does a good job of recounting the circumstances of Carrey's rise to fameDfrom the times when money was so scarce that his family was forced to live in a camper to his $20-million-dollar salary for the upcoming Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The star's life is played out here, with parents, agents, producers, and friends making appearances.”
CLASSICS
Cheaper By the Dozen. Gilbreth, Frank B. “What do you get when you put 12 lively kids together with a father who believes a family can be run like a factory and a mother who is his partner in everything except discipline? You get a hilarious tale of growing up that has made generations of kids laugh along with the Gilbreths.”
NONFICTION
The Essential Calvin and Hobbes. Watterson, Bill “Here is the all-inclusive chronicle of events beginning with the day Hobbes sprang into Calvin's tuna-fish trap and their friendship was forged forever. Essential not only for its thoroughness, including full-color Sunday cartoons, but also for the never-before-published cartoon story it features.”
Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat. Watterson, Bill Calvin's the kid we all wish we'd been. Sassy, imaginative, far more verbal than his parents can manage, Calvin is the quintessential bad boy - and the boy we love to see. He terrorizes little Susie, offers "Candid Opinions" from a neighborhood stand, and questions his parents' authority. "What assurance do I have that your parenting isn't screwing me up?" he demands. Calvin and Hobbes manages to say what needs to be said about childhood and life: "Eww, mud," says Calvin. "Look at this gooshy, dirty, slimy, thick, wet mud... Bleecch... Talk about a kid magnet!"
Scientific Progress Goes “Boink.” Watterson, Bill A collection of Calvin and Hobbes comic strips.
When Body Language Goes Bad. Adam, Scott (Dilbert) “When Body Language Goes Bad proves it will take more than that to slow down the inventive wit of Scott Adams, who clearly is never at a loss for finding hysterical things to mock in corporate life.This marks the 21st collection of Adams' wildly popular comic strip, Dilbert, which is featured in more than 2,000 newspapers worldwide. This book updates loyal readers on the so-called careers of Dilbert, Alice, Wally, Asok the intern, and other regulars as they wallow through pointless projects, mismanaged company takeovers, futile team-building exercises, and other inane company initiatives like the "name the rest room" contest.”
Peanuts 2000: The 50th Year Of The World's Favorite Comic Strip. Schulz, Charles M. “How could any of us ever forget them? For fifty years, Charles Schulz and the whole Peanuts gang have delighted millions of readers around the world. Now, in celebration of the artist who quickly became a national treasure, this special anniversary volume brings together for the first time in book form the last year of the Peanuts comic strip. With Peanuts 2000, there's no need to say goodbye to old friends.”
Fantasy! Cartooning. Caldwell, Ben “Fantasy! Cartooning is ideal for all kids and adults who love the Lord of the Rings movies, anticipate the Christmas 2005 release of The Chronicles of Narnia film, or have ever read a Harry Potter book. As before, Ben does not merely teach readers how to draw a line here or a circle there; he provides much, much more. Artists will find true insider tips on how to create mind-blowing scenes, awe-inspiring monsters, bigger-than-life heroes, and really incredible, magical landscapes. And because Ben Caldwell knows the fantasy genre inside out, he explains all the complex stories and legends behind each image, too.”
Scared! How to Draw Fantastic Horror Comic Characters. Miller, Steve and Baugh, Bryan “Scared! begins with a brief history of horror comics (mostly in the U.S.), profiles of some popular illustrators, useful tips on drawing for the genre (creating "creepy characters," for example), and advice on references and resources. The bulk of the book is dedicated to straightforward how-to, with illustrations for a gallery of ghouls showing each character broken down into basic shapes. The approach is especially suited to YA artists just developing an interest in how comics are drawn.”
The Art of the Comic Strip. Glubok, Shirley “A lively exploration of the development of this distinctively American art form from its beginnings to the present. A discussion of the artists who created the strips, the ways the strips have changed over the years and the impact they have had on readers’ minds.”
The Art of Making Comic Books. Pellowski, Michael Morgan “The text discusses the history of comic books and the elements -- such as colorful characters and exciting story lines -- that have made certain comics so successful. Much of the book is devoted to practical tips on designing page formats, writing scripts, and executing the artwork. Illustrated with color photographs, drawings, and examples from comic art, the volume is an accessible and interesting introduction to the field.”
Drawing on the Funny Side of the Brain : How to Come Up With Jokes for Cartoons and Comic Strips. Hart, Christopher “Several recent books have dealt with cartooning, among them Al Bohl's overview Guide to Cartooning, which explores the art form's history as well as its practice. Hart, who keeps his eye on commercial potential, narrows his focus to one aspect of cartooning--creating single and multipanel comic strips. He begins with some helpful cartoon-art how-to's, but it's the subtleties about joke writing, pacing, framing, and dialogue he includes that make his book stand out.”
NEWBERY AWARD WINNERS / HONOR
Bud, Not Buddy. Christopher Paul Curtis (2000) “Guided only by a flier for one of Calloway’s shows—a small, blue poster that had mysteriously upset his mother shortly before she died—Bud sets off to track down his supposed dad, a man he’s never laid eyes on. And, being 10, Bud-not-Buddy gets into all sorts of trouble along the way, barely escaping a monster-infested woodshed, stealing a vampire’s car, and even getting tricked into “busting slob with a real live girl.”
The View From Saturday. E.L. Konigsburg (1997) “Four sixth-graders are chosen by their teacher, Mrs. Olinski, to be the class representatives for the Academic Bowl team. When the team goes on to perform amazing feats of erudition, including winning the state championship, people keep asking Mrs. Olinski how she chose the participants. Although the questioners never get a real answer, the story, told from different perspectives, lets readers in on the secret.”
Maniac Magee. Jerry Spinelli (1991) “Orphaned as an infant, Jerry Magee is reared by his feuding aunt and uncle until he runs away at age eight. He finds his way to Two Mills, Pa., where the legend of ‘Maniac’ Magee begins after he scores major upsets against Brian Denehy, the star high school football player, and Little League tough guy, John McNab.”
Joey Pigza Loses Control. Jack Gantos (2001 Honor) “In this sequel to Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, Joey is off to spend the summer with his father, who his mother has warned him is just like Joey, ‘only bigger.’ Carter Pigza is eager to make past wrongs up to Joey, to teach him how to be a winner and how to take control of his life. And Joey is eager to do whatever his dad says, even if he suspects it will do him more harm than good.”
Hope Was Here. Joan Bauer (2001 Honor) “When 16-year-old Hope, waitress extraordinaire, moves cross-country to Wisconsin with her aunt Addie to run the Welcome Stairways Diner, Hope isn't sure she'll fit in. But she quickly finds herself involved in the small town's mayoral race, as G. T., owner of the diner, surprises everyone with his entry into the race. After all, G. T. has leukemia. And his opponent is the previously undefeated longtime mayor. Some think G. T. is crazy, but Hope sees the goodness and power in him.”
FICTION
Flour Babies. Anne Fine “If people were only aware of what a bother babies are, they would never have any. This is the consensus of the boys in Room 8, after just eleven days of caring for flour babies, six-pound bags of flour that must be kept safe from harm--and absolutely mud-free.”
Here Comes Heavenly. Todd Strasser “Heavenly Litebody is a purple-haired, pierced-and-tattooed nanny who appears, seemingly uninvited, at the home of a blended family of five children ranging in age from 2 to 16, whose antics have driven their previous caregivers packing. Heavenly may not look like Mary Poppins, but she employs a similar modus operandi and has her own brand of magic. Ten-year-old Robby admits to having placed an urgent ad with InstantNanny.com when their current nanny walked off the job while his parents are away on business, but he vehemently denies giving the access code for their security system to this Internet nanny.”
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie. Lubar, David “While navigating his first year of high school and awaiting the birth of his new baby brother, Scott loses old friends and gains some unlikely new ones as he hones his skills as a writer.”
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit. Paula Danziger “Marcy Lewis is bored by school; her father tyrannizes both Marcy and her mother; she despairs of ever being thin; she is certain she'll never have a date and that a horrible case of acne will break out any minute. Then along comes Ms. Finney, an English teacher willing to try anything in the classroom. Above all, she is accessible and human. Marcy has never met anyone like her, and suddenly life in and out of school begins to have a purpose.”
There’s A Bat In Bunk Five. Paula Danziger “As a junior counselor at a new creative-arts camp, Marcy is thrilled to spend the summer where nobody knows that she used to be an unpopular fat blimp. But she must cope with noisy, giggling girls, a bat, and her first real romance all in one summer.”
Freaky Friday. Mary Rogers "A truly funny story about a (13-year-old) girl who awakens one morning in her mother's body, and--during an incredible day of revelation and opportunity--sees herself as others see her.”
Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle. Gordon Korman Eighteen-year-old Vince Luca, son of mob boss Anthony Luca, goes away to college in southern California hoping to escape his past, but soon his brother and a series of "uncles" appear at his dorm, and before long he is caught up in criminal activity once again.
Queen Bee. Clugston, Chynna * “Haley is smart, funny, nice, and determined to be super-popular in her new middle-school.”
Playing the Field. Janette Rallison “Thirteen-year-old McKay has to improve his algebra grade or he'll have to quit the baseball team. His friend Tony thinks the solution to his dilemma is to get to know Serena, a pretty girl with a history of straight A's. If McKay can convince her that he likes her, then he'll have the help he needs and Tony can flirt with her two friends. Everything works beautifully until Serena uncovers the plot, and her friends become enemies when Tony turns out to be a less-than-suave boyfriend.”
Fat Camp Commandos. Andy Rash * “Urged by gym teacher and camp director Dick Tator, Ralph and Sylvia's parents send them to Camp Noo Yoo, a ‘fat camp.’ When the early departure of their counselors gives Ralph, Sylvia, and their friend Mavis the opportunity to escape, they return in secret to their hometown and begin a stealthy campaign to reverse public prejudice against fat people. Along the way, they find unexpected allies and plenty of support for their premise that fat people should be respected, not berated.”
Bucking the Sarge. Paul Christopher Curtis + Deeply involved in his cold and manipulative mother's shady business dealings in Flint, Michigan, fourteen-year-old Luther keeps a sense of humor while running the Happy Neighbor Group Home For Men, all the while dreaming of going to college and becoming a philosopher.
Girl, 15, Charming But Insane. Sue Limb. Fifteen-year-old Jess, living with her mum, separated from her father in Cornwall, and with a best friend who seems to do everything perfectly, finds her own assets through humor.
The Big Nothing. Adrian Fogelin A middle-schooler struggles to cope with major family problems, including a brother who might be heading for the Persian Gulf, but finds an escape in piano lessons and the dream of a romance with a popular girl.
Hooky. Greg West * “A comedy / adventure that pits three boys against the world for several hours. Join Leon, Jay, and Adam in this convoluted tale of imagination, friendship, dreams and disappointment.” Available in school libraries only.
A Long Way From Chicago. Richard Peck “Each summer over the nine years of the Depression, Joey and his sister, Mary Alice-two city slickers from Chicago-make their annual summer visit to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town. Soon enough, they find that it's far from sleepy... and Grandma is far from your typical grandmother. From seeing their first corpse (and he isn't resting easy) to helping Grandma trespass, pinch property, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry-all in one day-Joey and Mary Alice have nine summers they'll never forget. Richard Peck's laugh-out-loud funny, episodic novel makes sure that you never will, either!”
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Jack Gantos “To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, hyperactive Joey has trouble paying attention or controlling his mood swings when his prescription meds wear off and he starts feeling wired. One mishap after another leads Joey first from his regular classroom to special education classes and then to a special education school. Finally, with medication, counseling, and positive reinforcement, Joey triumphs, in this comic, compassionate, and compelling tale.”
Frozen Rodeo. Clark, Catherine “High-school junior Peggy Fleming Farrell finds herself without a car, working at the Gas 'n Git, and fantasizing about a boyfriend during the hot summer her distracted parents are expecting yet another baby to join their ice-skating family.”
The Restaurant At the End of the Universe. Douglas Adams + “This sequel to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy finds Arthur Dent, reluctant space adventurer, joining Zaphod Beeblebrox--two-headed former president of the galaxy--Zaphod's dead great-grandfather, sexy cadet Trillian, and paranoid Marvin in the search for the ruler of the Universe.”