We had our Reader's Advisory Round Table Meeting on 8/15 and discussed Funny and/or Feel Good Reads. You can see the books we talked about below, and on the JCPLA RART SharePoint Library. There were a LOT of books recommended! Apparently we all needed a laugh/warm fuzzy feeling. 😆
Our next meeting will be held October 8th at the NEW Irondale Library! We will be talking Scary/Horror Books for spooky season! 👻
Also, if you did not get the chance to attend the Reader's Advisory Mini-Workshop in June, fear not! Holley has graciously decided to reprise her role as teacher and give another mini-workshop at JCPLA Staff Day. 🎉Be sure to check it and other great panels and presentations out on Friday, October 3rd!
Lastly, we're coming up on the end of the year which means it will be time to choose another Reader's Advisory Round Table Moderator at our December meeting. If you think you'd enjoy leading RART in 2026 or are curious about it, please reach out! I'm happy to answer any questions.
FICTION
Meet Me in the Margins – Melissa Ferguson (Romance)
Savannah Cade is a junior editor at a large prestigious publishing house who longs to publish a book of her own. Her hidden manuscript is discovered by a mysterious stranger who leaves her notes in the margins, and a rom-com begins…
Earl Grafton and the Traitor – Angela Johnson (Romance)
Baxter Fernley, the Earl of Grafton, takes his duty as a member of the ton with the utmost sincerity, even if King George the III has lost his mind. As a respected member of the peerage and the local magistrate, his life has order and meaning until an unruly American woman with a muddy skirt falls at his feet in what he believes to be an attempt at trapping him in marriage.
Authentically Izzy – Pepper Basham (Romance)
Izzy Edgewood is a wannabe bookstore owner, quote queen, and Lord of the Rings nerd who has been waiting for Prince Charming to sweep her off her sneakered feet. But it’s hard to meet people when you spend more time with fictional humans than real ones. Which is why her pragmatist cousin Josephine decides to take Izzy’s future into her own meddling hands and create an online dating profile for the hopeful romantic.
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon – Kimberly Lemming (Romance)
All I wanted to do was live my life in peace. Maybe get a cat, expand my spice farm. Really anything that doesn't involve going on a quest where an orc might rip my face off. After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all he wanted to do was kill an evil witch enslaving his people. I mean, I get it, don't get me wrong. But he's dragging me along for the ride, and I'm kind of peeved about it. On the bright side, he keeps burning off his shirt.
One for the Money – Janet Evanovich (Mystery)
Meet Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter with attitude. Out of work and out of money, Stephanie blackmails her bail-bondsman cousin Vinnie into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. Stephanie knows zilch about the job requirements, but she figures her new pal, el-primo bounty hunter Ranger, can teach her what it takes to catch a crook.
Florida Roadkill – Tim Dorsey (Mystery)
Intelligent but sociopathic criminal Serge Storms meets up with heartless stripper Sharon Rhodes and brainless drug addict Seymore "Coleman" Bunsen, who become his travelling companions and partners in crime as they attempt to defraud an insurance company. A series of mishaps, murders, and hijinks throw a few wrenches into the plan.
Double Whammy – Carl Hiaasen (Mystery)
R.J. Decker, star tenant of the local trailer park and neophyte private eye is fishing for a killer. Thanks to a sportsman's scam that's anything but sportsmanlike, there's a body floating in Coon Bog, Florida -- and a lot that's rotten in the murky waters of big-stakes, large-mouth bass tournaments. Here Decker will team up with a half-blind, half-mad hermit with an appetite for road kill; dare to kiss his ex-wife while she's in bed with her new husband; and face deadly TV evangelists, dangerously seductive women, and a pistol-toting redneck with a pit bull on his arm.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers – Jesse Q. Sutanto (Mystery)
Sixty-year-old self-proclaimed tea expert Vera Wong enjoys nothing more than sipping a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy ‘detective’ work on the internet (AKA checking up on her son to see if he’s dating anybody yet). But when Vera wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, it’s going to take more than a strong Longjing to fix things. Knowing she’ll do a better job than the police possibly could, Vera decides it’s down to her to catch the killer.
Wyrd Sisters – Terry Pratchett (Fantasy)
Three witches – Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick – are thrust into royal intrigue when Duke Felmet murders King Verence of Lancre. The witches, guardians of the missing heir, Tomjon, must protect him while dealing with a traveling theater troupe, a jester with a dark secret, and a kingdom yearning for tradition. The story that follows is as much an ode as a satire of Shakespearean tragedies.
Dreadful – Caitlin Rozakis (Fantasy)
It’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard’s workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you horribly and then turn your skull into a goblet or something. It’s a lot worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is… you.
Mal Goes to War – Edward Ashton (Science Fiction)
The humans are fighting again. Go figure. As a free A.I., Mal finds the war between the modded and augmented Federals and the puritanical Humanists about as interesting as a battle between rival anthills. He’s not above scouting the battlefield for salvage, though, and when the Humanists abruptly cut off access to infospace he finds himself trapped in the body of a cyborg mercenary, and responsible for the safety of the modded girl she died protecting. A dark comedy wrapped in a techno thriller’s skin, Mal Goes to War provides a satirical take on war, artificial intelligence, and what it really means to be human.
Legends and Lattes – Travis Baldree (Fantasy)
After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But starting a business is hard, especially when no one in town has ever heard of coffee.
The Rosie Project – Gaeme Simsion (General Fiction / Romance)
Don Tillman, a genetics professor with Asperger's finds his carefully structured life is disrupted when he meets Rosie Jarman, a woman who on a quest to find her biological father. Through this unlikely collaboration, Don confronts his own social awkwardness and learns to embrace love and unexpected emotions.
Be Frank With Me – Julia Claiborne Johnson (General Fiction)
Alice, a young woman sent to Los Angeles to assist reclusive author M.M. "Mimi" Banning, who is struggling to write a new novel. Alice quickly finds herself becoming a nanny to Mimi's eccentric and precocious nine-year-old son, Frank, who is obsessed with old Hollywood and has a unique personality.
Prodigal Summer – Barbara Kingsolver (General Fiction)
Prodigal Summer tells the story of a small town in Appalachia during a single, humid summer, when three interweaving stories of love, loss and family unfold against the backdrop of the lush wildness of Virginia mountains. The narrative follows Deanna, a solitary woman working as a park ranger; Lusa, a recently widowed entomologist at odds with her late farmer husband's tight-knit family; and Garnett, an old man who dreams of restoring the lineage of the extinct American Chestnut tree.
Eating the Cheshire Cat – Helen Ellis (General Fiction – Southern)
In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, beauty is as beauty does, with axes and knives and killer smiles… Sarina Summers and her mother will stop at nothing to have it all. Nicole Hicks harbors a fierce obsession with Sarina, which repeatedly undermines Mrs. Hicks's ambitious goals. Bitty Jack Carlson, a nice girl from the wrong side of the tracks, is caught in the crossfire but struggles to succeed outside the confines of this outrageous yet eerily familiar Southern community. It's survival of the fittest. Which girl will come out on top?
NONFICTION
All Creatures Great and Small – James Herriot (Memoir)
Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.
Ava’s Man – Rick Bragg (Memoir)
Rick Bragg has built a soaring monument to the grandfather he never knew -- a father who stood by his family in hard times and left a backwoods legend behind -- in a book that blazes with his love for his family, and for a particular stretch of dirt road along the Alabama-Georgia border. A powerfully intimate piece of American history as it was experienced by the working people of the Deep South, a glorious record of a life of character, tenacity and indomitable joy and an unforgettable tribute to a vanishing culture.
Self-Inflicted Wounds – Aisha Tyler (Memoir)
Comedian, actress, and cohost of CBS’s daytime hit show The Talk, Aisha Tyler recounts a series of epic mistakes and hilarious stories of crushing personal humiliation, and the personal insights and authentic wisdom she gathered along the way.
Why Not Me? – Mindy Kaling (Memoir)
In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it's falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you're constantly reminded that no one looks like you.
My Year with Eleanor – Noelle Hancock (Memoir)
This short memoir follows Noelle Hancock’s hilarious tale of her decision to heed the advice of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and do one thing a day that scares her in the year before her 30th birthday.
Honey, Hush! – Daryl Cumber Dance (Anthology)
The eloquent wit and laughter of African American women are presented here in all their written and spoken manifestations: autobiographies, novels, essays, poems, speeches, comic routines, proverbial sayings, cartoons, mimeographed sheets, and folk tales. The chapters proceed thematically, covering the church, love, civil rights, motherly advice, and much more.
Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come – Jessica Pan (Memoir)
What would happen if a shy introvert lived like a gregarious extrovert for one year? If she knowingly and willingly put herself in perilous social situations that she’d normally avoid at all costs? Writer Jessica Pan intends to find out. With the help of various extrovert mentors, Pan sets up a series of personal challenges (talk to strangers, perform stand-up comedy, host a dinner party, travel alone, make friends on the road, and much worse) to explore whether living like an extrovert can teach her lessons that might improve the quality of her life.
Bitter is the New Black – Jen Lancaster (Memoir)
Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office. This is the story of how a haughty former sorority girl went from having a household income of almost a quarter-million dollars to being evicted from a crappy apartment.
Happy-Go-Lucky – David Sedaris (Essays)
With his signature blend of social commentary, personal anecdotes, humor, and poignant observations on human nature, Sedaris offers a collection of essays that reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on society and his personal life.
Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult – Maria Bamford (Memoir)
Bamford explores her lifelong quest for belonging and her experiences with mental illness through a lens of dark humor and self-deprecating honesty.
Leslie F*cking Jones – Leslie Jones (Memoir)
Now, I’m gonna be honest: Some of the details might be vague because a b*tch is fifty-five and she’s smoked a ton of weed. But while bits might be a touch hazy, I can promise you the underlying truth is REAL. Whether I’m talking about my childhood growing up in the South, my early stand-up days driving from gig to gig through the darkest parts of our country and praying I wouldn’t get murdered, what Chris Rock told Lorne Michaels, that time I wanted to shoot Whoopi Goldberg on SNL, and yeah, I’ll tell you all about Ghostbusters and the nudes and Supermarket Sweep and The Daily Show . . . I’m sharing it all in these pages.
Please Don’t Sit On My Bed in Your Outside Clothes – Phoebe Robinson (Essays)
Written in Phoebe's unforgettable voice and with her unparalleled wit, Robinson's latest collection, laced with spot-on pop culture references, takes on a wide range of topics. From the values she learned from her parents (including, but not limited to, advice on not bringing outside germs onto your clean bed) to her and her boyfriend, lovingly known as British Baekoff, deciding to have a child-free union, to the way the Black Lives Matter movement took center stage in America, and, finally, the continual struggle to love her 4C hair, each essay is packed with humor and humanity.
Wow, No Thank You. – Samantha Irby (Essays)
A new essay collection from Samantha Irby about aging, marriage, settling down with step-children in white, small-town America. Irby is turning forty, and increasingly uncomfortable in her own skin. She has left her job as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic, has published successful books and is courted by Hollywood, left Chicago, and moved into a house with a garden that requires repairs and know-how with her wife and two step-children in a small white, Republican town in Michigan where she now hosts book clubs. This is the bourgeois life of dreams.
Marriage Be Hard – Kevin and Melissa Fredericks (Self-Help / Marriage)
Discover the keys to upholding your vows while staying sane in this hilariously candid guide to relationships, from the husband-and-wife team of comedian Kevin Fredericks and influencer Melissa Fredericks.
Egghead – Bo Bunham (Poetry)
In EGGHEAD, Bo brings his brand of brainy, emotional comedy to the page in the form of off-kilter poems, thoughts, and more. Teaming up with his longtime friend, artist, and illustrator Chance Bone, Bo takes on everything from death to farts in this weird book that will make you think, laugh and think, "why did I just laugh?"
The History of Sketch Comedy – Keegan-Michael Key & Elle Key (History / Pop Culture)
With epic personal tangents and hilarious asides, the Keys take you on an illuminating journey through all facets of comedy from the stock characters of commedia del arte in the 16th century, to the rise of vaudeville and burlesque, the golden age of television comedy, the influence of the most well-known comedy schools, and the ascension of comedy films and TV specials—all the way through to a look at the future of sketch on social media platforms. Along the way, we hear tales of Keegan's childhood, his comedy influences, and the vicissitudes of his career path.
Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops – Jon Campbell (Humor)
A John Cleese Twitter question ("What is your pet peeve?"), first sparked the "Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops" blog, which grew over three years into one bookseller's collection of ridiculous conversations on the shop floor. From "Did Beatrix Potter ever write a book about dinosaurs?" to the hunt for a paperback which could forecast the next year's weather; and from "I've forgotten my glasses, please read me the first chapter" to "Excuse me... is this book edible?", here is a book for heroic booksellers and booklovers everywhere.
YA & TEENS
My Lady Jane – Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows (Historical / Fantasy)
Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.
The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal – Ambika Vohra (Contemporary)
“How have you gotten out of your comfort zone?" That’s the Stanford admissions prompt that valedictorian shoo-in Aisha Agarwal can’t answer. Her life’s been homework and junk food for as long as she can remember. Not exactly the thing college essays are written about. So when a classmate asks her to help him not fail math, they stike a deal: She’ll help him if he’ll push her out of her comfort zone. A series of sticky note to-do’s—dares—not only give Aisha content for her essay but will turn her into the confident person she’s always wanted to be
This Will Be Funny Someday – Katie Henry (Contemporary)
Izzy is used to keeping her thoughts to herself—in school, where her boyfriend does the talking for her, and at home, where it’s impossible to compete with her older siblings and high-powered parents—but when she accidentally walks into a stand-up comedy club and performs, the experience is surprisingly cathartic. Now Izzy, the dutiful daughter and model student, is sneaking out to perform stand-up with her comedy friends, and she can hardly remember all the lies she’s telling to keep her two lives separate.
Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe – Preston Norton (Contemporary)
Cliff is a smart, sensitive teen—and a 6'6" and 250 pound loser stuck with the nickname Neanderthal. He has no one in his corner and everything has gone bad to worse since his older brother's suicide last year. Cliff can't stand the star quarterback, Aaron, who bullies him for laughs. When Aaron returns to school after a near-death experience, he says that he saw God when he was out of it. The real kicker is that God gave Aaron a to-do list to make Happy Valley High suck less, and he needs Cliff’s help to do it.
Camp – L C Rosen (Contemporary)
A sweet and sharp screwball comedy that critiques the culture of toxic masculinity within the queer community. Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It's where he met his best friends, got into musical theatre, and it's where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim… who's only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists. This year, though, it's going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as 'Del' - buff, masculine, and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bedsheets, he's determined to get Hudson to fall for him.
How to Get Over Your (Best Friends) Ex – Kristi McManus (Contemporary)
Hannah has lived in her best friend Braelyn’s shadow all through high school. But when she meets Seth, she wonders if, for once, she might finally be in the spotlight. Except… Seth and Brae start dating instead. When Seth unexpectedly breaks up with Brae months later, Hannah vows to help her friend (and herself) to move on from Seth once and for all. Because even though Seth is no longer dating Brae, you never date your best friend’s ex. But getting over Seth is easier said than done when Hannah learns that she was the reason for the breakup, and Seth may like her back.
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy – Faith Erin Hicks (Graphic Novel)
A young adult graphic novel romance about a hotheaded hockey player who asks for temper management lessons from the cool, calm boy in drama club.
Kill the Boy Band – Goldy Moldavsky (Suspense)
Explores four teenage girls’ dedication to a boy band called "The Ruperts" as it escalates into something more sinister. A diverse, murderous and hilarious comedy about fangirls in the age of social media.
MIDDLE GRADE / CHAPTER BOOKS
Wretched Waterpark – Kiersten White
Meet the Sinister-Winterbottoms: brave Theo, her timid twin, Alexander, and their older sister, Wil. They’re stuck for the summer with their Aunt Saffronia, who doesn’t know how often children need to eat and can’t use a smartphone, and whose feet never quite seem to touch the floor when she glides—er—walks.
Ungifted – Gordon Korman
The word gifted has never been applied to a kid like Donovan Curtis. It's usually more like Don't try this at home. So when the troublemaker pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he's finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), a special program for gifted and talented students.
My Brother Is a Superhero – David Solomons
Luke is a comic-mad eleven-year-old who shares a treehouse with his geeky older brother, Zach. Luke’s only mistake is to need a wee right at the wrong moment. While he’s gone, an alien gives his undeserving, never-read-a-comic-in-his-life brother superpowers, then tells him to save the universe. Luke is massively annoyed about this, but when Zach is kidnapped by his arch-nemesis, Luke and his friends only have five days to find him and save the world…
Ghoulia – Barbara Cantini
Ghoulia is a typical little girl . . . who happens to be a zombie. She lives in Crumbling Manor with her Auntie Departed and albino greyhound named Tragedy. In search of a real friend, Ghoulia tries to venture past the manor's walls, but she can't hide her pale green skin or the deep purple circles under her eyes. Until Halloween comes around…
Once Upon a Tim – Stuart Gibbs
Tim is just a peasant, but he dreams big. He wants more out of life than to grow up to be a woodsman like his father. Unfortunately, the only route to success in the Kingdom of Wyld is to be born a prince. Still, Tim is determined. He is brave and clever and always tries to do the right thing—even though he rarely gets the credit for it. He’ll become a knight.
The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science – Kate McKinnon
Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee Porch do not belong. They don’t belong in the snooty town of Antiquarium, where all girls have to go to etiquette school. They don’t belong with their adoptive family, where all their cousins are named Lavinia and their Aunt has more brooches than books. And they certainly don’t belong at Mrs. Wintermacher’s etiquette school—they’re far more interested in science. After getting kicked out of the last etiquette school that would take them, the girls expect to be sent away for good... until they receive a mysterious invitation to a new school.
The Yeti Files: Meet the Bigfeet – Kevin Sherry
Blizz Richards is a great guy, a caring boss, and a loyal friend. Oh, yeah...he's also a yeti! He's made it his life's mission to study cryptids like him, hidden animals who have taken a powerful oath to never be seen by the outside world.
The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels – Beth Lincoln, Claire Powell
In her family, Shenanigan Swift has always been synonymous with mischief. As Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude always says, "She can't help her name." When a family reunion suddenly turns into a murder mystery, Shenanigan is determined to catch the perpetrator. A celebration of words and individuality, this remarkable debut is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic.
The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum – Lisa Yee & Dan Santat
When a notorious thief is out for priceless treasure (gems! cats! general decorum!)—who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious illustrated series.
BEGINNING READER / CHAPTER BOOKS
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish – Mo O’Hara & Marek Jagucki
When Tom's big brother decides to become an Evil Scientist, his first experiment involves dunking Frankie the goldfish into toxic green gunk. Tom knows that there is only one thing to do: Zap the fish with a battery and bring him back to life! But there's something weird about the new Frankie. He's now a BIG FAT ZOMBIE GOLDFISH with hypnotic powers . . . and he's out for revenge!
The Notebook of Doom – Troy Cummings
Alexander has just moved to a new town where he is about to uncover all sorts of monsters He finds an old notebook with the word DOOM inscribed on the front cover. The Notebook of Doom, which Alexander now holds, contains top secret information about monsters
Shark School – Davy Ocean
In Shark School, Harry's class are going on a school trip to a famous shipwreck. When Harry and his friends find themselves trapped inside the dangerous wreck, his amazing hammerhead vision helps them find a way out.
The Bad Guys – Aaron Blabey
They sound like bad guys, they look like bad guys . . . and they even smell like bad guys. But Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Shark are about to change all of that...Mr. Wolf has a daring plan for the Bad Guys' first good mission. They are going to break two hundred dogs out of the Dog Pound!
Miss Daisy is Crazy – Dan Gutman & Jim Paillot
In the first My Weird School book ever, second-grade teacher Miss Daisy is in over her head at Ella Mentary School. She doesn't even know how to add or subtract! But the students, like A.J. and his friends, have other things on their minds. Principal Klutz has promised their class that if they read a million pages in books, they can turn the school into a video-game arcade for one whole night!
Phoebe and Her Unicorn – Dana Simpson
It all started when a girl named Phoebe skipped a rock across a pond and accidentally hit a unicorn in the face. Improbably, this led to Phoebe being granted one wish, and she used it to make the unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, her obligational best friend. But can a vain mythical beast and a nine-year-old daydreamer really forge a connection?
Narwhal Unicorn of the Sea – Ben Clanton
Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together. A wonderfully silly early graphic novel series.
Dog Man – Dav Pilkey
George and Harold have created a new breed of justice. With the head of a dog and the body of a human, this heroic hound digs into deception, claws after crooks, rolls over robbers, and scampers after squirrels. Will he be able to resist the call of the wild to answer the call of duty?
Barb the Last Berzerker – Jason Patterson & Dan Abdo
The Nefarious Witch Head has captured all Berzerkers except one! It’s up to Barb to free her fellow warriors so they can stop Witch Head from taking over Bailiwick. On the way, she’ll battle vampire goat fiends, snot goblins, and a giant with serious foot odor issues (but don’t mention that to him—he’s very sensitive about it). Luckily, she’s got her best friend, Porkchop the yeti, to help her.
The Adventures of Captain Underpants – Dav Pilkey
George and Harold have created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school - and now they're going to bring him to life! Meet Captain Underpants! His true identity is so secret, even HE doesn't know who he is!
It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit – Justin A. Reynolds
Eddie has been avoiding doing his laundry all summer, and is down to his bathing suit and flip-flops. Perfect, because the Beach Bash is today! But Eddie gets grounded and left home until he cleans his clothes. But then the power goes out, and upon investigation, everyone in the neighborhood seems to have disappeared except for a few other kids…
PICTURE BOOKS
I Love My Fangs – Kelly Leigh Miller
Is a vampire still a vampire if his fang is all wobbly? Find out in this funny and endearing spin on the classic first lost tooth story.
Falling for Rapunzel – Leah Wilcox
When the prince spies Rapunzel high in her tower, he's convinced she is the girl of his dreams. Of course he thinks he can save her the traditional way, but this is no traditional Rapunzel. She throws down everything but what the prince asks for--including a surprise that makes all his dreams come true.
100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli – David Larochelle
High on a mountain live 100 mighty dragons all named Broccoli. When a tremendous wind blows half the dragons away, ten others sail off to become professional surfers in Hawaii. The oldest and youngest dragons take a train to New York City to start their own heavy metal band. And a mysterious wizard turns four more into a unicorn, a werewolf, a zombie, and a tiny pink poodle. Now how many dragons are left? Young readers will delight in following each and every dragon as they leave their home for marvelous adventures, until there is but one dragon remaining.
The Book that Almost Rhymed – Omar Abed & Hatem Aly
What do you do with an interrupting sibling? Especially when she's stepping all over your story with wild ideas that don’t. Even. Rhyme. Knights riding rockets? Dancing pirates? Who’s ever heard of a fire-breathing armadillo?! But when this big brother realizes his sister just might be improving his yarn—and doing it with an impressive surprise of her own—it's clear what you do with an interrupting sibling. You share the narrative! Turns out adventure is way more fun when you build it together.
Pig Town Party – Lian Cho
When a mysterious invite addressed to “Cutie” arrives in the mail, a young girl follows the mailman through the hedges and discovers a dazzling, secret world of . . . pigs. Pigs on bikes. Pigs in bakeries. Pigs on their way to a mansion. Cutie goes to the address on her invite and is welcomed into an epic party of pigs dressed in every costume imaginable. And they love her human costume the most.
Mother Bruce – Ryan T. Higgins
Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself of his new companions. What's a bear to do?
Fanny’s Dream – Caralyn Buchner
Fanny Agnes is a sturdy farm girl with a big dream. Someday, she believes, she will marry a prince. When the town mayor announces he is throwing a grand ball, Fanny is convinced her time has come. She puts on her best calico dress and goes out to the garden so that she'll be ready when her fairy godmother arrives. As the seconds tick by, Fanny waits and waits. Finally, she hears a voice. It isn't her fairy godmother-but it is someone who will change her life forever.
Buffalo Fluffalo – Bess Kalb and Erin Kraan
Buffalo Fluffalo arrives on the scene puffed up with self-importance. Stomping around and raising billows of dust, Buffalo Fluffalo proclaims his superiority to the other creatures—the ram, the prairie dog, and the crow—who just want to be his friend. So Buffalo Fluffalo, who has had enuffalo, heads off to grumble to himself. Suddenly, a rain shower pours down from the clouds and—what’s this? All of his fluffalo is a soggy mess! There Fluffalo stands, a drenched pip-squeak without his disguise. The other animals, who could see through Fluffalo’s bravado from the start, circle around to comfort him.
Poultrygeist – Eric Green
A little spring chicken crosses the road but quickly gets flattened under a semitruck. The barnyard beasts who’ve gone before break the news: now that Chicken’s fried—dispatched to the Other Side—Chicken has a job, an unwanted job, as a noisy troublemaking ghost. This fowl may be weak in the beak, but Chicken knows that scaring people isn’t nice. There is such a thing as a friendly ghost, after all—isn’t there?
Dog Vs. Strawberry – Nelly Buchet
When Dog is handed a strawberry from the fruit bowl, she sizes it up, dances around it, and decides she is going to race the Strawberry--and win. She dashes left, then right, then--oh!-- over the couch in an attempt to outrun her opponent. Strawberry doesn't move, but that doesn't stop Dog from continuing the race. Eventually, it's neck-and-neck... until mom walks in to see what the fuss is about, and SPLAT!
Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO – Tamara Pizzoli & Federico Fabiani
Tallulah the Tooth Fairy is not only the founder and CEO of the largest teeth collecting organization on the planet, Teeth Titans, Incorporated, she's a clever and wildly successful business woman with an affinity for all things dental. A natural innovator and problem solver, Tallulah finds herself unexpectedly stumped when six year-old Ballard Burchell leaves a note instead of his tooth under his pillow. What's a Tooth Fairy to do when there's no tooth to take?
Can I Play Too? – Mo Willems
Gerald and Piggie are best friends. Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. In Can I Play Too? Gerald and Piggie meet a new snake friend who wants to join in a game of catch. But don't you need arms to catch?
Good Dog, Carl – Alexandra Day
Here is the book that introduced Carl, the babysitting Rottweiler, to his adoring fans. Readers will delight as Carl leads his infant mistress on a wordless romp through the house, causing chaos and destruction, but managing to restore order just before Mother returns home!
Mr. S – Monica Arnaldo
Prepare for plenty of giggles as a kindergarten class arrives for their first day of school, but can't find their teacher--only a delicious-looking sandwich and the words "Mr. S" scribbled on the chalkboard. Chaos ensues as the kids argue whether or not the sandwich must be their teacher.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
The Way of the House Husband – Kousuke Oono (Manga)
A former yakuza legend leaves it all behind to become your everyday househusband. But it's not easy to walk away from the gangster life, and what should be mundane household tasks are anything but!
Zom100 – Haro Aso & Kotaro Takata (Manga)
In a trash-filled apartment, 24-year-old Akira Tendo watches a zombie movie with lifeless, envious eyes. After spending three hard years at an exploitative corporation in Japan, his spirit is broken. He can’t even muster the courage to confess his feelings to his beautiful co-worker Ohtori. Then one morning, he stumbles upon his landlord eating lunch—which happens to be another tenant! The whole city’s swarming with zombies, and even though he’s running for his life, Akira has never felt more alive!
Sakamoto Days – Yuto Suzuki (Manga)
Time has passed peacefully for Sakamoto since he left the underworld. He’s running a neighborhood store with his lovely wife and child and has gotten a bit…out of shape. But one day a figure from his past pays him a visit with an offer he can’t refuse: return to the assassin world or die!
Delicious in Dungeon – Ryoko Kui (Manga)
When young adventurer Laios and his company are attacked and soundly thrashed by a dragon deep in a dungeon, the party loses all its money and provisions...and a member! They're eager to go back and save her, but there is just one problem: If they set out with no food or coin to speak of, they're sure to starve on the way! But Laios comes up with a brilliant idea: "Let's eat the monsters!" Slimes, basilisks, and even dragons...none are safe from the appetites of these dungeon-crawling gourmands!
Yotsuba&! – Kyohiko Azuma (Manga)
From the creator of Azumanga Daioh comes the story of the new kid in town - little Yotsuba, a green-haired and wide-eyed girl who doesn't have a clue... about anything! With no knowledge of the world around her, and an unnatural fear of air conditioners, Yotsuba has her new neighbors' heads spinning. Join the hilarious exploits of an out-of-this-world schoolgirl as her befuddled friends attempt to uncover the secrets behind this strange child in Yotsubato!
Nichijou: My Ordinary Life – Keiichi Arawi (Manga)
An absurdist slice-of-life comedy that turns the mundane into rapid-fire visual gags and deadpan timing. Join an eclectic group of friends as they grapple with all sorts of unexpected situations in their daily lives as high schoolers.
Spy x Family – Tatsuya Endo (Manga)
Master spy Twilight is the best at what he does when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions in the name of a better world. But when he receives the ultimate impossible assignment—get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head! Not one to depend on others, Twilight has his work cut out for him procuring both a wife and a child for his mission to infiltrate an elite private school. What he doesn’t know is that the wife he’s chosen is an assassin and the child he’s adopted is a telepath!
Lucky Penny – Ananth Hirsh & Yuko Ota
If Penny Brighton didn't have bad luck, she'd have no luck at all. She lost her job. And her apartment. In the same day. But it's okay, her friend has a cozy storage unit she can crash in. And there's bound to be career opportunities at the neighborhood laundromat―just look how fast that 12-year-old who runs the place made it to management! Surely Penny is a capable of becoming an actual responsible adult, and if she can do that her luck's bound to change Right?
Strange Planet – Nathan Pyle
A soft, pastel-colored sci-fi that reframes everyday human rituals through wide-eyed alien wonder—playful commentary on the absurdity of being alive. A comic book based on the popular Instagram of the same name, this is an ideal read if you crave brisk, gag-driven pacing, minimalist visuals, and gentle philosophical humor that feels like a cosmic inside joke shared with your inner child.
Adulthood is a Myth – Sarah Andersen
The hilarious debut Sarah's Scribbles collection from Sarah Andersen. These casually drawn, perfectly on-point comics document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, and dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas. In other words, the horrors and awkwardnesses of young modern life.
Hyperbole and a Half – Allie Brosh
For readers who crave raw, hilarious graphic memoir that turns depression and everyday chaos into brightly colored catharsis. Perfect if you like lightning-fast pacing, childlike art masking sharp emotional insight, and humor that punches you in the gut then hugs you better.
What If? - Randall Munroe
Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. His stick-figure drawings about science, technology, language, and love have an enormous, dedicated following, as do his deeply researched answers to his fans' strangest questions. The queries he receives range from merely odd to downright diabolical. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and wit, gleefully and accurately explaining everything from the relativistic effects of a baseball pitched at near the speed of light to the many horrible ways you could die while building a periodic table out of all the actual elements. What If? is an informative feast for xkcd fans and anyone who loves to ponder the hypothetical.
War and Peas – Jonathan Kunz & Elizabeth Pich
War and Peas: Funny Comics for Dirty Lovers combine twisted humor with a beloved cast of characters including the grim reaper (seen here as an unintentionally lethal man of leisure), a robot in hopelessly in love with his scientist creator, and a promiscuous yet self-assured witch.
Heart and Brain – Nick Seluk
Boasting more than two million pageviews per month, TheAwkwardYeti.com has become a webcomic staple since its creation in 2012. From paying taxes and getting up for work to dancing with kittens and starting a band, readers everywhere will relate to the ongoing struggle between Heart and Brain.
Emotions Explained with Buff Dudes – Owlturd Comix / Andrew Tsyaston
Hyper-kinetic webcomic energy for readers who like their introspection sprint-paced, absurdly muscular, and funnier than despair deserves. Featuring the resilient, shaggy-haired Shen, this debut collection of Owlturd Comix is a tale of triumph and survival — of getting your ass kicked by sleep deprivation and student loans, but never losing hope.
It’s All Absolutely Fine – Ruby Elliot
A darkly comic, honest and unapologetic illustrated account of the daily struggles with mental health. Ruby Elliot, aka Rubyetc, is the talent behind the hit tumblr account, 'Rubyetc', which has over 210k followers and growing. Taking readers on a journey through the ups and downs of life, the book will encompass everything from anxiety, bipolar disorder and body image to depression and identity, shining a light on very real problems - all framed with Ruby's trademark humour and originality.
