2013 April Reading Challenge

[Ann]

April is National Humor Month, so for April’s reading challenge find a funny book to read—fiction or non-fiction, whatever your druthers—and enjoy a laugh or two.

[Debbie]

Cool! An excuse to read one (or both) of my Wimpy Kid books.

[Allison]

I am loving Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff. "it is the story of Puggly, a commoner chosen to be the prince—not the king, definitely not the king—of the extremely unfashionable Kingdom of Spud."

[Nora]

Although I didn't think it was going to be humorous, I am reading Alice in Zombieland (not technically humor, so does it still count?) and it has made me laugh out loud several times.

[Ann]

Nora wrote: "Although I didn't think it was going to be humorous, I am reading Alice in Zombieland (not technically humor, so does it still count?) and it has made me laugh out loud several times."

Everyone finds different things funny; there are "humor" books I've picked up that failed to deliver and books of other genres that had me laughing so hard I cried. Because everyone is different, I say if it makes you laugh it counts.

[Becky]

I have shockingly few humorous seeming books on my to-read list so may need some suggestions. So far, I am looking at Where'd You Go, Bernadette or The Dog who Came in from the Cold (second book in a series I started a while ago).

[Britt, Book Habitue]

[GoodReads ate my comment... sigh]

So I was going to go with Because I Said So by Ken Jennings, but I already started it and will likely be done before Monday. That's okay, Some Like It Hot by KJ Larsen is in transit. :D

[Ruby]

Becky wrote: "I have shockingly few humorous seeming books on my to-read list so may need some suggestions. So far, I am looking at Where'd You Go, Bernadette or The Dog who Came in from the Cold (second book i..."

If you like books with a "Southern flavor", you might want to try "Big Hair and Flying Cows" by Dolores Wilson. I read it the first time on a plane, and I was laughing so hard everyone around me wanted to know what I was reading!

[Britt, Book Habitue]

Also hilarious: Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin (Fantasy/Urban Fantasy) and Liar Liar by KJ Larsen (Mystery).
If you like Alan Alda, both of his books are also fabulous. :)

[Melissa]

Becky wrote: "I have shockingly few humorous seeming books on my to-read list so may need some suggestions. So far, I am looking at Where'd You Go, Bernadette or The Dog who Came in from the Cold (second book i..."

I have heard good things about Where'd You Go, Bernadette. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to read it yet. You will have to tell me what you thought. It would be fun to read a Bill Cosby book this month. Are there any recommendations for him?

[Jennifer]

Becky wrote: "I have shockingly few humorous seeming books on my to-read list so may need some suggestions. So far, I am looking at Where'd You Go, Bernadette or The Dog who Came in from the Cold (second book i..."

I loved Where'd You Go, Bernadette. It was really refreshing to read something unique and funny, without being facile. One of my top books last year.

[Laura]

I am reading Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim, written by Lisa Scottoline and her daughter Francesca Serritella. What better team to write a book about mother daughter relationships? It is definitely keeping me entertained. Very short chapters so great for reading on the go, such as when I am waiting in the carpool lane or other places.

[Laura]

Other good humor reads:
Bossypants, by Tina Fey
This is a Book, by Demetri Martin
The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten, by Steve Martin.

[Steph]

Ruby wrote: "Becky wrote: "I have shockingly few humorous seeming books on my to-read list so may need some suggestions. So far, I am looking at Where'd You Go, Bernadette or The Dog who Came in from the Cold ..."

Lol Ruby! I'm going to have to add "Big Hair and Flying Cows" to my must-read list just because of the title!

[Becky]

I just finished Where'd You Go, Bernadette and really liked it. It was very funny and sharp. I am glad to also get so many other great recommendations for humorous books. I'm going to add a bunch of these to my to-read list!! :)

[Heather]

Definitely Austenland by Shannon Hale! I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Katherine Kellgren. I do not fault her for making me look like an absolute fool, wandering the aisles of the library where I work, snickering into my shoulder, snorting sudden outbursts of laughter, and at times, ignoring the tears in my eyes, as well as those that escaped my lashes and trickled down my face. I'm sure the patrons thought I was nuts.

For YA lovers, I also loved the Ruby Oliver series by E. Lockhart. The first book is The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver. This is also a series that I cannot read in public, for two reasons:

1. I hate it when people look oddly at me, just because I am laughing hysterically in public, with tears starting to stream down my face. Have they no humor in their lives?

2. I would be pretty much mortified if a stranger, in glancing over, might accidentally read the chapter titles. "The Care and Ownership of Boobs"...'nough said?

[Ann]

As I look at a lot of the books I'm reading I find myself thinking, "well, no that really isn't a funny book." But at the same time I remember laughing when I was reading various titles I'm thinking about. I don't know if that's a comment on me, or on what I'm reading...

Either way it has me coming up short on titles of funny books I'm reading right now. Two that I have read in the past and found enjoyable and humorous are The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner and The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde. (The humor in The Thief is not always as obvious, and sometimes is a little sarcastic, but it is one of my favorite books of all time and had a great ending I totally did not see coming.)

[Britt, Book Habitue]

So I did end up finishing Because I Said So in April... and I read Some Like It Hot last night, which was hilarious.

[JoAnn]

I just read Brain Twister and enjoyed it's silliness. I found it to be an engaging mystery as well, but the silliness was what made it worth my time.

[Jackie]

Heather wrote: "Definitely Austenland by Shannon Hale! I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Katherine Kellgren. I do not fault her for making me look like an absolute fool, wandering the aisles of the l..."

I feel this way about the "Confessions of Georgia Nicholson" books by Louise Renison. The titles have caused a bit of embarrassment at times, but they are laugh out loud funny...Right, Becky, my bestie pal?

[Becky]

Yes, Jackie, I completely agree that Georgia is hilarious (and would be a great pick for this month's challenge) if you can stand to have the title waiting for you on the hold shelf for the whole world to see!! (Like, "Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas"!!!!)

[Jackie]

Or, "On the Bright Side, I am Now the Girlfriend of a SEX GOD". lol...Thank goodness the British version of "It Fell Off in my Hand" was cleaned up for U.S. publishing!

[Jackie]

Defo a worthy series. If you listen to it, be prepared to look foolish to your fellow traffic pal-ies.

[Maria]

I really enjoyed "The Autobiography of A Somebody" by A. Somebody. This was funny to me so I re-read it this week.

[Jackie]

I finished "Days of Derangement: Sidesplitting Stories from a Loopy Life" by Jackie Panandrew. A compilation of life experiences (mostly about being a mom) told in a light hearted prose. I may follow her blog if she has one. Gave the book 3 stars.

[Ann]

Okay, so I know we don’t usually included children’s picture books in our discussions, but I’m back to doing some advanced planning for storytimes and reading tons of children’s picture books. Here are a couple funny titles I’ve encountered in my reading Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet, Big Mean Mike, A Dog Is a Dog, and The Hiccupotamus.

[Nora]

Britt, Book Habitue wrote: "Also hilarious: Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin (Fantasy/Urban Fantasy) and Liar Liar by KJ Larsen (Mystery).
If you like Alan Alda, both of his books are also fabulous. :)"

I have read & really enjoyed the Raine Benares series by Lisa Shearin.

[Debbie]

I have finished Rodrick Rules, book 2 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Loved it!!!

[Ann]

Debbie wrote: "I have finished Rodrick Rules, book 2 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Loved it!!!"

That is a really funny series!

Now that I'm thinking of it I can think of a lot more funny children's books than adult or even teen books--hmmm....

[Ann]

Heads up! I've just posted the May Reading Challenge for next month.

[Debbie]

Ruby wrote: "If you like books with a "Southern flavor", you might want to try "Big Hair and Flying Cows" by Dolores Wilson. I read it the first time on a plane, and I was laughing so hard everyone around me wanted to know what I was reading!"

Thank you, Ruby! I started the book and thought it was cute but not THAT funny. But as I got further and further in, I moved from smile, to chuckle, to outright laughter! Jack the Tipper, plus Antonio the cabana boy. Then her first night in the woods in northern Georgia, scared by sounds of the night she settles in to watch a TV movie and what are they showing? Deliverance! Bwahahaha!

[Ann]

Britt won this month's reading challenge drawing. She read Because I Said So! : The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales, and Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids by Ken Jennings Some Like It Hot by K.J. Larsen.

Also just a heads up for everyone: I've started drawing names for people who have won in the past because I do not have a general location or ability to contact some members in our group and everyone else has won a prize.

Though anyone can join our group regardless of geographic location, I do need to know if you live in the general area of Salt Lake County so that the monthly prize is awarded to people who live close enough to come in and pick up their prize book. Additionally, I need your Goodreads settings to be such that I can send you a message to notify you that you have won and make arrangements for which library is most convenient to pick up your prize book at. (If you do not mind being left out of the monthly prize drawing or don't live in the area, then don't worry about changing anything. I just want to make sure everyone who is eligible and wants to be involved in the monthly drawings can be.)

If you have any questions about how to make these changes please let me know.

[Jackie]

Congrats, Britt!

[Britt, Book Habitue]

Hey, that's me! :) Thanks!

[Debbie]

Congrads, Britt!