5 Reasons to Give a Reluctant Reader a Joke Book

This post was originally written by Rob Elliott for Harper Collins Children’s Books. To read the original post, click here.

One of the greatest rewards of publishing the Laugh-Out Loud series is hearing from happy parents, grandparents, and educators. Over and over they say how the joke books have sparked excitement in their kids about reading. Simple humor can open the door to a child reading, laughing, and learning. Here are a few reasons why jokes can get your reluctant reader to crack a book.

1. Joke books are perfect for reading aloud:

Beginning readers often experience books with adults, whether being read to at bedtime or reading aloud for practice. Joke books are inherently interactive — they’re meant to be shared side by side. When a child reads a joke book out loud, it creates fun and memorable moments with their loved ones.

2. Joke books cut reading down to size:

When reading is a challenge, kids can feel self-conscious and insecure. A joke book provides a quick reward — there’s a funny punchline to laugh about after just a couple sentences. You don’t have to read an entire page or chapter to get to the good part. A joke book allows a kid to create positive experiences with a book in just a few minutes at a time.

3. Joke books turn any reader into a star:

Kids crave attention and an audience. A joke book creates a way for them to entertain and invite others to respond to their reading. They hold center stage as they hold the book in their hands. Getting a laugh motivates them to keep on reading…you’ll probably be ready to stop before they are!

4. Joke books build confidence:

The biggest barrier to reading is believing “I can’t.” When a child can read two or three lines in a joke book and get a laugh, they feel successful. They’re eager to read another joke, and then another. Before they know it, they can say they’ve read an entire book on their own. “I can’t” becomes “I did it!”

5. Joke books inspire a love of reading:

As a kid, I missed out on a lot of the joy of reading. It’s exciting for me to hear how the Laugh-Out-Loud series is helping kids overcome their challenges and learn. Messages like this one make it all worthwhile:
“Your book truly was a turning point for our daughter; we were at a Christmas dinner with friends and they had heard about your book. When they gave it to her, she started reading it out loud. It was the first time she had done that and I actually cried. That’s why I want to give it to other children who have dyslexia.”
— Krista, SDSquared.org

Whether your child loves to read or thinks books are like broccoli, give them something funny and watch them go!