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 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Food, Disability, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2010

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

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

Smile by Raina Telgemeier is an autobiographical graphic novel and the winner of the 2011 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens. It originated as a weekly webcomic in 2004 before Telgemeier expanded it into a book in 2010. Telgemeier is the writer and illustrator, while Stephanie Yue is the colorist. Smile is a coming-of-age tale, set in a San Francisco suburb from 1989 to 1992, in which Telgemeier struggles with preteen life after losing... Read Smile Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Science / Nature, Humor, Grief / Death, Biography


Publication year 1973

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Satire, Post Modernism, History: U.S., Humor, Classic Fiction

“Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby” is a short story by American author Donald Barthelme. Originally published in a 1973 issue of The New Yorker, it was later included in Barthelme’s 1976 anthology, Amateurs. The narrative follows the extended and absurd deliberation of a group of friends about how to hang their friend for committing an unnamed offense. With the friends embodying a range of logistical roles and viewpoints concerning the act... Read Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Class, Life/Time: Midlife

Tags Romance, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor

Son of the Mob is a young adult novel by Gordon Korman, published in 2002. It is a comedic adventure story that concerns a teenaged boy named Vince Luca, and his attempts to come to terms with his Mafia family.Vince’s life is a mixture of mundane teenaged concerns (girls, grades) and adult criminal activity. This is established in the first chapter of the book, when he takes a girl named Angela out on a date... Read Son of the Mob Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Psychology, Sociology, Journalism, Technology, Science / Nature, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Humor


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Natural World: Animals

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Politics / Government


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Animals


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Asian Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, Animals


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Music, Romance, Humor


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Science / Nature, Grief / Death, History: World, Humor, Health / Medicine

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers is a nonfiction book about the cultural history of the human cadaver, written by Mary Roach. Roach explores how, for nearly two thousand years, the deceased human body has been used in research and experimentation leading to some of the most consequential innovations of the medical, scientific, and mechanical (among others) fields throughout human history. Across cultures and civilizations, death has been shrouded in mystery and taboo, yet... Read Stiff Summary


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Objects

Tags Humor, Satire, Magical Realism, Absurdism, Fantasy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family

Tags Disability, Gender / Feminism, Humor