Funny books

Toto is a fearless, funny little worm. All Toto wants is a delicious red apple. Unfortunately for Toto, ‘The apple is up high, Toto is down low.’ But Toto has been thinking outside the box…

It’s not often I begin a review with a description of the physical attributes of a book, but Harrison Loved His Umbrella is such a tactile and satisfying volume it is impossible not to comment on this at the outset. Its square shape (17.5 cm.x17.5cm.) is just perfect for small hands to hold and 56 pages allows for a good-size spine which is bound in red cloth, contrasting with the overall yellow tones of the cover, and Harrison’s umbrella is edged in a flat, deep yellow, contrasting with pink inset panels.

Oh Mince My Maggots! This book is absolutely phizz-wizzing. It may not come as a surprise to his fans, but Roald Dahl invented over 500 swashboggling words and character names and now for the first time in celebration of this beloved author’s 100th birthday they’re all available in one dictionary. Compiled by lexicographer Dr Susan Rennie in conjunction with Oxford University Press this book claims to contain only the really interesting words. It is made up of the everyday words used by Dahl in his stories, as well as his invented words, character and place names.

It all starts with an invitation to a birthday party. The invitation bills it as the biggest, bestest, hattiest party of all time. Unworried by his hatless state at first, our young protagonist sets off but without success. He cannot find a hat anywhere. Undeterred, he cleverly finds a monkey with a hat to accompany him and off he goes. You would think this would be it, boy brings hat to party, end of story. The protagonist hadn’t reckoned, however, on a doorman who seems to have no other wish in life than to stop him entering his friend’s birthday party.

Everyone agrees; Stan is a real superhero. His feats of daring and strength entertain and astound everyone… everyone except his big brother Jack, that is. Whenever Jack does something good, Stan does something amazing. It can be discouraging. Stan even manages to ruin Jack’s birthday treat with his superhero tricks and grabs all the attention by racing the cheetahs and wrestling a lion. But in an unusual turn of events, Jack realises that even superheroes need some help from their big brother.

This is a bright, amusing story of a young girl determined to define ‘normal’ through an apparently normal orangutan named Norman.

Petunia Paris is a very lucky and very wealthy little girl. Each birthday, her parties are splendid, lavish affairs where she can ask for whatever she wants in the whole world, and it arrives! But on her sixth birthday, it seems she already has everything; a swimming pool, a bicycle with a chauffeur, her own library and all the dresses she could ever want. So she says the first thing that pops into her head. Petunia wants a parrot.

There are few things that give pre-schoolers more glee than transgressions in the form of toilet-humour. They will not be disappointed here.

The famous magician, Monsieur Lapin, is holding auditions for the role of a new assistant without any luck, until Houdini the rabbit comes along. He turns out to be the perfect choice; he loves magic, looks after everyone, and ensures the show runs smoothly. One night, things go wrong, however. Yet Houdini is not daunted and manages to keep the show going.