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 1965

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Satire, Humor, Post Modernism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine is a 1965 novel by American author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007). The novel is a postmodern satire on wealth, capitalism, and the dark side of the American Dream. Vonnegut’s fifth novel is considered a precursor to Slaughterhouse Five (1969) since it introduces many of the themes that appear in that much-lauded novel. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater contains elements of science fiction, which emerge in a... Read God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Humor, Health / Medicine, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Goodbye, Vitamin is Asian American author Rachel Khong’s debut novel. Khong, whose grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease, explores how Alzheimer’s disease affects a family in this work of literary fiction. Written as a series of diary entries, Khong’s protagonist, Ruth Young, meditates on memory, forgiveness, and the challenges inherent in familial relationships as she navigates an adulthood that is not turning out as planned.Published in 2017, Goodbye, Vitamin received positive reviews and was named one of... Read Goodbye, Vitamin Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, British Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor

Good Omens, The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a darkly comic novel originally published in 1990. It is a satirical imagining of the Biblical apocalypse featuring angels, demons, humans, and the hosts of Heaven and Hell.Pratchett is well known for his ˙comic fantasy Discworld series, which spans 41 books. Gaiman is the author of, among other titles, Stardust, American Gods, and the graphic novel series... Read Good Omens Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Christian literature


Publication year 1982

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past

Tags History: U.S., Great Depression, Journalism, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction, Biography

Russell Baker (b. August 14, 1925) is an American newspaper columnist, humorist, political satirist, and author. He earned a B.A. from Johns Hopkins in 1947 and began his career at the Baltimore Sun as a police reporter. He was a columnist at the New York Times from 1962 to 1998 and host of PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre from 1992 to 2004.His Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Growing Up (1982), recounts his childhood and adolescence during the Great Depression... Read Growing Up Summary


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Drawing on his childhood experiences, Gary Paulsen’s novel for young readers, Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered (1993, 1st edition), contains 12 vignettes chronicling the narrator’s visit to his distant relatives on a farm over one summer. In addition to the culture shock of adjusting to rural life, the book also centers on the narrator’s relationship with his reckless and adventurous country cousin, Harris, and the process of finding acceptance as part of a family... Read Harris and Me Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Humor


Publication year 1950

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship

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


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Humor, Music, Romance, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

High Fidelity is a 1995 fiction novel by the English author Nick Hornby. It tells the story of Rob Fleming, an obsessive music fan who examines his top five worst break ups to understand his most recent heartbreak. The book was adapted into a musical, a television series, and 2000 film starring John Cusack and directly by Stephen Frears.Plot SummaryRob Fleming is the 35-year-old owner of a record store in London. When his girlfriend Laura... Read High Fidelity Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Animals

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction

Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen, is a humorous adventure novel for middle-grade readers in which a group of children tries to save the habitat of a colony of owls from being bulldozed. Published in 2002, the book became a New York Times bestseller, won a Newbery Medal, and has been made into a motion picture. Author Hiaasen is an award-winning journalist and columnist for the Miami Herald. He has written nearly three dozen books, including six... Read Hoot Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Environment

Tags Humor, Romance, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language

Tags Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Self Help, Humor


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Philosophy, Humor, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

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

In the novel How to Eat Fried Worms, a boy accepts a $50 bet from a friend to eat 15 worms in 15 days, but as he nears victory, he faces a flurry of nasty tricks and traps that go wildly out of control. Written by Thomas Rockwell, son of the famous American illustrator Norman Rockwell, and published in 1973, the book sold over three million copies, won several awards, was a target of censors... Read How To Eat Fried Worms Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Humor

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe (2010) is a science fiction novel by American writer Charles Yu. Yu wrote the novel after merging two separate story ideas—one about a father-son relationship and the other about a man who keeps waking up in different universes. The narrative views the emotional tension between the father and son through the lens of quantum mechanics and popular philosophy. The novel was a finalist for the John... Read How To Live Safely In a Science Fictional Universe Summary