{"id":1779,"date":"2022-08-31T07:20:50","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T11:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/?p=1779"},"modified":"2023-04-10T15:17:08","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T19:17:08","slug":"9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/","title":{"rendered":"Make \u2018Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you noticed that kids\u2019 books have gotten awfully heavy lately? Thankfully, across the middle-grade landscape there\u2019s still plenty of light-heartedness to be had. Some of these comic novels were my faves growing up and they\u2019re each a solid dose of good medicine \u2014\u00a0not only in a big-picture kind of way but also as a remedy for reluctant readers.<\/p>\n

no no 9780593177662 Chomp<\/i> by Carl Hiaasen <\/p>\n

You can\u2019t go wrong with Carl Hiaasen\u2019s hilarious environmental mysteries, and Chomp<\/i> is no exception. Between a missing reality television star, hopelessly lost rescue teams, animal wrangling, and a girl named Tuna (like the fish), Wahoo Cray has his hands full. Bizarre events and laugh-out-loud moments make this book a must-read for comedy fans.<\/p>\n

9780679833727 Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes<\/i> by Louis Sachar <\/p>\n

You know Louis Sachar from his book Holes<\/i><\/a>, but he has written several other uproariously funny books that your kids will love. In Dogs Don\u2019t Tell Jokes<\/i>, a boy named Gary wants to be a stand-up comedian and enters a competition at his school. Nothing goes according to plan, and Gary gets left wondering if he has what it takes to be a comedian after all. <\/p>\n

9780142408810 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/286551\/tales-of-a-fourth-grade-nothing-by-judy-blume\/ by Judy Blume <\/p>\n

Blume is known as the queen of teen angst, but her middle grade novels are just as brilliant. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing<\/i> \u2014 published in 1972 and the first of five Fudge books \u2014 introduces kids to the quick-witted Peter Hatcher, his annoyingly cute but frustrating little brother Fudge, and their neighbor, Sheila Tubman. <\/p>\n

9780142420959 Dragonbreath #1<\/i> by Ursula Vernon <\/p>\n

This side-splitting series about Danny Dragonbreath is a favorite for middle grade readers everywhere. This goofy little dragon delivers plenty of laughs, whether he is working on a school project, befriending a jackalope, or rescuing family members from evil fairies. <\/p>\n

9780525580379 Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library<\/i> by Chris Grabenstein <\/p>\n

A combination of adventure, puzzle solving, and rib-tickling humor makes this modern classic popular with middle grade readers. When the famous puzzle creator Mr. Lemoncello builds an escape room-style library, Kyle can\u2019t wait to spend the night there. But when the doors lock and the game starts, Kyle realizes he\u2019s in over his head. <\/p>\n

9780142410318 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/i> http:\/\/www.randomhouse.com\/book\/36156\/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-by-roald-dahl by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n

Although frequently regarded as a fantasy novel, a careful read of the Dahl classic reveals humor nestled throughout (sort of like the sweet center of a Willie Wonka creation). First published in 1964, the delights of this tale extend longer than an Everlasting Gobstopper. <\/p>\n

9780763669270 Timmy Failure<\/i> by Stephan Pastis <\/p>\n

This highly illustrated series is perfect for kids who loved Diary of a Wimpy Kid<\/i> and Dork Diaries<\/i>. Timmy is a nerdy boy who solves crimes in the most hilarious way possible. He bumbles from one clue to the next, making readers laugh at every wrong turn he takes. Young readers will giggle through all seven books in the series.<\/p>\n

9780142403709 Al Capone Does My Shirts<\/i> by Gennifer Choldenko <\/p>\n

This classic book rolls history and hilarity into one fantastic story. Take a step back in time to 1935 when Alcatraz was a prison and several families lived and worked there. Readers follow twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan\u2019s shenanigans on the little island. Even though he tries to stay out of trouble, that seems impossible when most island inhabitants are convicted criminals.<\/p>\n

9780670011384 Knucklehead<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/291289\/knucklehead-by-jon-scieszka\/ by Jon Scieszka <\/p>\n

Though fairly recent (it published in 2008), Scieszka\u2019s story is an instant classic for the sweet and funny way it weaves the tale of how the hilarious author got to be so funny. Scieszka\u2019s recap of childhood antics and escapades \u2014 he is the second of six brothers \u2014 are laugh-out-loud-worthy and might even influence would-be kid humorists.<\/p>\n

9780763627881 Utterly Me, Clarice Bean<\/i> by Lauren Child <\/p>\n

Originally published in 1999, the bestselling Clarice Bean<\/i> series has made children laugh for over two decades. In the first book, a class project goes from fun to fiasco when Clarice\u2019s best friend (and project partner) disappears and gets replaced with the class trouble-maker. Kids who enjoy humorous, realistic fiction will find much to love about Clarice Bean.<\/p>\n

9780375832291 Babymouse<\/i> Series by Jennifer L. Holm, illustrated by Matthew Holm <\/p>\n

This award-winning and bestselling classic graphic novel series delivers plenty of fun and giggles for young readers. Whether Babymouse is conducting science experiments, performing in a musical, or heading to camp, her adventures will bring a smile to your child\u2019s face. <\/p>\n

9780593117811 Pippi Longstocking<\/i> by Astrid Lindgren, illustrated by Ingrid Vang Nyman, translated by Susan Beard <\/p>\n

If your kid enjoys reading older classics, slip a copy of Pippi Longstocking<\/i> into their reading stack. They\u2019ll get caught up in this wacky story about a red-haired girl with upside-down braids and an unusual sense of adventure. <\/p>\n

9780142401200 The Westing Game<\/i> http:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/296599\/the-westing-game-by-ellen-raskin by Ellen Raskin <\/p>\n

Yes, this one is known for being a perfect and satisfying mystery novel for the tween set BUT it also scores points for sheer cleverness. With sharp characters and witty wordplay, this 1978 novel has garnered many online fan reviews asking author Raskin for more.<\/p>\n

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2022.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each of these comic novels is a solid dose of good medicine — not only in a big-picture kind of way, but also as a remedy for reluctant readers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":85819,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[60,86,136,142,279,368,393,507,954],"coauthors":[14],"class_list":["post-1779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-humor","tag-siblings","tag-poetry","tag-classic-lit","tag-roald-dahl","tag-judy-blume","tag-school","tag-louis-sachar","tag-educators","ages_stages-growing-reader","ages_stages-tween"],"yoast_head":"\nMake \u2018Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders | Brightly<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Enjoy these classic comedies that bring some much-needed light-heartedness to your child's middle grade years.\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Make \u2018Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders | Brightly\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Enjoy these classic comedies that bring some much-needed light-heartedness to your child's middle grade years.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Brightly\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-08-31T11:20:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-04-10T19:17:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/BRI-Monthly-Topics-Sept-Tween-Featured-850x607-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"850\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"607\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Iva-Marie Palmer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Iva-Marie Palmer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Make \u2018Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders | Brightly","description":"Enjoy these classic comedies that bring some much-needed light-heartedness to your child's middle grade years.","canonical":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Make \u2018Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders | Brightly","og_description":"Enjoy these classic comedies that bring some much-needed light-heartedness to your child's middle grade years.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/","og_site_name":"Brightly","article_published_time":"2022-08-31T11:20:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-04-10T19:17:08+00:00","og_image":[{"width":850,"height":607,"url":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/BRI-Monthly-Topics-Sept-Tween-Featured-850x607-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Iva-Marie Palmer","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Iva-Marie Palmer","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/","url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/","name":"Make \u2018Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders | Brightly","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/BRI-Monthly-Topics-Sept-Tween-Featured-850x607-1.jpg","datePublished":"2022-08-31T11:20:50+00:00","dateModified":"2023-04-10T19:17:08+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4d4b48062349105afcb571d14229ee88"},"description":"Enjoy these classic comedies that bring some much-needed light-heartedness to your child's middle grade years.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/BRI-Monthly-Topics-Sept-Tween-Featured-850x607-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/BRI-Monthly-Topics-Sept-Tween-Featured-850x607-1.jpg","width":850,"height":607},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/9-classic-comedies-for-middle-graders\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Make \u2018Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/","name":"Brightly","description":"Reading Is the Just the Beginning","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4d4b48062349105afcb571d14229ee88","name":"Adrian O'Donnell","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/a3e635dea41d058abe48912725201d8a","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/307c57368836782dac0251d40ae169cc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/307c57368836782dac0251d40ae169cc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Adrian O'Donnell"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/penguinrandomhouse.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/contributor\/aodonnell\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1779"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/85819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1779"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}