Laughing Out Loud

For students in 2nd to 4th grade, finding a chapter book that contains characters to which they can relate and contain a realistic story within the confines of such a short number of pages might seem like a challenge, but there are three ares to which these readers can turn to experience fresh and engaging true-to-life stories just for them. These stories, though lacking in deep characters and rich settings, create a world where kids can see the humor in the situations that life throws at them.

Sacher creates a compelling character, Marvin Redpost, that has hilarious adventures with frank dialog and real dilemmas that kids face. In “Is He a Girl?” Marvin faces the old-wives tale about kissing your elbow and turning into a girl, every boy’s worst nightmare. How will he face life as a girl and can he ever return to the normal “boy” world that he knows so well? Follow Marvin through this adventure, plus many more as he faces some of the questions that kids come up with.

Lowry creates a real-life boy, Sam, that shows the dilemmas that boys can easily find themselves in. From cutting his hair to flushing the fish down the toilet, life is never dull with a younger brother around! “All About Sam” tells the beginning of Sam’s life story and begins a series that is especially tailored for young boys in need of a character to which they can identify, even if many of the story elements clearly date the book to the 1980’s.

Junie B. Jones is one character that will appeal to all audiences, with her truly laugh-out-loud adventures that beg to be read aloud! With problems like getting into a fight at the school carnival to winning only a fruit cake in the cake walk, Parks shows how kids can and will turn life upside down with real life dialog and scenes between the kids at school and family members at home. Students will relate to the emotions that Junie B. feels as she faces her different adventures.

Lowry, Lois. 1988. ALL ABOUT SAM. New York: Yearling Books.
Parks, Barbara. 1999. JUNIE B. JONES AND THE YUCKY BLUCKY FRUITCAKE. New York: Scholastic.
Sachar, Louis. 1993. MARVIN REDPOST: IS HE A GIRL?. New York: Scholastic.