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Whether it’s waking up to find toads in their shoes or searching for cheese when their cow makes lemonade, the Pepin family’s endless tangles entertain the reader. Lucky for them they have the author, whose insight into their hilarious misfortunes helps guide them in problem solving.

Perfect for: Kids who like humor stories.

Find at your local library.

Ratchet loves her selfish mother but receives little in return. Without warning or luggage of any sort, Ratchet’s mother ships her to Maine to spend the summer with two elderly relatives. Tilly and Penpen are un-identical twins who are tremendously eccentric; they are also kind and generous. A laugh-aloud, farcical story evolves from this unlikely premise. Winner of the 2003 National Book Award for Children’s Literature.

Perfect for: Kids who like humor stories.

Find at your local library.

John and Abigail are 12-year-old twins with an absent-minded professor and inventor for a father and a sweet fox terrier named Cassie. When the evil Dean D. Dean kidnaps the twins to get their father’s genius invention, the twins have to come up with an idea. The most important character in this silly series about the twins’ misadventures is the wise-cracking, sarcastic narrator, who makes an absurd tale even more fun to read.

Perfect for: Kids who like comedy.

Find at your local library.

Tony Baloney is obsessed with David Letterman and is determined to be a guest on his show. This fast-paced, action-packed story is sure to keep the reader amused — top 10 lists and all!

Perfect for: Kids who like humor stories.

Find at your local library.

Now that Joey’s divorced mom has a new boyfriend, his dad has returned to town to buzz their house on his roaring motorcycle. The fact that his own sick, elderly mother is living with his son and former wife doesn’t deter him at all. When Joey’s mom sends him to be home»ÆÉ«apped with a bratty blind girl with a religious mother whose motto is “What Would Jesus Do?” Joey adopts this motto — with his own modifications. While the premises of Joey’s story – no allies except a small dog and a sick old lady — are harsh, the book is hilarious.

Perfect for: Kids who like humor stories.

Find at your local library.

If the Addams Family had a favorite cookbook, this would be it. Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake have teamed up again to create the companion volume to his first culinary compendium, Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes. Aficionados will recognize some of the dishes from Mr. Dahl’s other works, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While some of the recipes may sound fairly disgusting, none of them really is. The titles alone are enough to fill young and mischievous cooks with glee as they look forward to presenting company with a plate of Soil with Engine Oil or some Boiled Slobbages. Parents, please note: While the dishes are calculated to appeal to younger appetites, the directions may get a bit overwhelming for junior chefs. Adult supervision is the rule rather than the exception here, so get a firm grip on your sense of humor and wade on in. Who knew lizard’s tails could be so tasty?

Perfect for: Kids who like to cook.

Find at your local library.