ACHUKA Children's Books UK

children's & YA recommendations on the go

You are here: Home / Archives for Humour

Grimwood by Nadia Shireen

By Leave a Comment

Times Children’s Book of the Week 23 Sep 2021

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Fox cub siblings Ted and Nancy are on the run from Princess Buttons, the scariest street cat in the Big City. They flee for Grimwood, expecting to find refuge in the peaceful countryside. Instead, they are met with thieving eagles, dramatic ducks, riotous rabbits and a whole host of unusual characters. Grimwood is . . . weird. But when Princess Buttons tracks them down, Nancy and Ted and the animals of Grimwood must unite in a mind-bending race against time …

 

Petunia Perry and the Curse of the Ugly Pigeon by Pamela Butchart ill. Gemma Correll

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Rejacketed new release of this hilarious novel about how to fit in when you don’t want to conform, with brilliant illustrations throughout by Gemma Correll. Perfect for fans of Louise Rennison and Holly Smale.

Petunia Perry has decided to write her memoirs. She wants the world to know what it’s like to start secondary school with a best friend who stages one-person flash mobs in the canteen, a mother who over-shares at parents’ evenings and an unwelcome suitor who draws pictures of her as a unicorn. But it’s when she decides to start a band with a spoon-player and a lead-singer who’s a cat that things take a turn for the truly crazy…

Follow the illustrator Gemma Correll on Instagram:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gemma Correll (@gemmacorrell)

The Incredible Record Smashers by Jenny Pearson ill. Erica Salcedo

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“This funny, moving novel brilliantly combines humour and empathy to give children a realistic but hopeful depiction of parental depression that they can understand and discuss with others.”
BfK 5-star review 

A record-smashing, feel-good adventure packed with heart, humour and Guinness World Records from Costa Award-shortlisted Jenny Pearson, and Kid Normal illustrator Erica Salcedo.

Lucy is a fixer of broken things. But there’s one thing she can’t fix and that’s her unhappy mum. Until she comes up with an INCREDIBLE plan. Along with her best friend, Sandesh, Lucy is going to SMASH a world record. Because she’s convinced that starry Paul Castellini – Record Smashers TV host and singing legend – is the answer to her mum’s problems. But breaking a world RECORD when watermelons, kumquats, two baddies and a 30 cm shatter-resistant school ruler are involved isn’t quite as easy as Lucy thought. Can she learn that sometimes happiness doesn’t come with a plan?

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericasalcedoillustration/

A Monster Ate My Packed Lunch! – Baby Aliens by Pamela Butchart ill. Thomas Flintham

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Hilarious, illustrated school-based antics where everything that happens leads to drama and running around and even some fainting!

Izzy and her friends are on a school trip to a big lake. Gary Petrie is excited because the lodges where they’re staying have robes and slippers! The lake is dark and deep and a bit scary. But it’s when they open their packed lunches that they know! There’s a MONSTER in the lake and it’s coming for their CRISPS! Laugh-out-loud fun from Blue Peter Award winners Pamela Butchart and Thomas Flintham.

Something I Said by Ben Bailey Smith

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A funny, big-hearted story about family, friendship and how far one boy will go to get a laugh.

For thirteen-year-old Carmichael Taylor, life is one big joke – in a good way. He just can’t understand why no one else seems to find everything as funny as he does. When Car accidentally delivers a piece of hilarious stand-up at the school talent show, targeting his family and his school, it goes viral. As fame and fortune beckon, it’s up to Car to decide what or who he’s willing to risk in pursuit of his comedy dream.

 

The Summer I Robbed A Bank by David O’Doherty ill. Chris Judge

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Rex’s parents have split up and, to make matters worse, he has to spend his summer holiday on a remote and rainy Irish island – with only unruly sheep for company. The only upside: he’ll be staying with his strange and brilliant Uncle Derm. Thenhttps://www.waterstones.com/book/the-summer-i-robbed-a-bank/david-odoherty/9780241362235 Rex discovers Uncle Derm is about to execute his most hair-brained plan yet . . . To rob the island’s travelling bank!

Like the local legend of medieval Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley, Uncle Derm plans to redistribute the money to local needy causes on the island. And he needs Rex’s help . . .

A chaotic robbery, plenty of sheep and a summer of discoveries come together in this hilarious and heart-warming novel from comedian, actor and author of Danger is Everywhere.

The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife by Maz Evans ill. Chris Jevons

By Leave a Comment

Scarlett Fife has BIG feelings. And she’s about to get into BIG trouble. From the bestselling Maz Evans comes a heartfelt and hilarious new series, perfect for fans of Roald Dahl’s Matilda.

Scarlett’s in big trouble after a BIG FEELINGS episode leads to a runaway hamster getting into the vicar’s trousers at her aunty’s engagement party. If she loses her temper ONE MORE TIME, she’s going to miss out on her trip to Mega Awesome Sicky Fun World, the best theme park on the planet. But feelings are like slime in a party bag. No matter how much someone tells you to keep it in, it’ll always find its way out. And very soon, Scarlett notices that every time she pushes her feelings down, something explodes. Like … really, properly explodes. It might be her teacher’s slimy green smoothie. A huge pot of purple paint. Or a massive pile of elephant poo at the zoo. And let’s hope Scarlett doesn’t get mad at Aunty’s wedding – that wedding cake is HUGE …

Follow Chris Jevons on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisjevonsillustration/

The Super-Secret Diary of Holly Hopkinson: This Is Going To Be a Fiasco – Holly Hopkinson Book 1 by Charlie P. Brooks ill. Katy Riddell

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

These are the memoirs of ME, Holly Hopkinson, aged almost ten, except without any of the rubbish adults usually put in, thank you very much. My dad just lost his job, which means me and the rest of my family have to leave London and move to the middle of nowhere, which is a TOTAL DISASTER! There’s no Wi-Fi, the local kids are FERAL and there’s animal poo EVERYWHERE. But then for my birthday, my eccentric aunt gave me a magic pocket watch, which I can use to hypnotise and CONTROL people. I actually wanted a new phone, but I won’t complain because this new power is REALLY FUN and has led to the MOST unexpected things – including a visit to the QUEEN. Maybe the countryside isn’t so bad after all…

A charming domestic comedy, with a dash of magic, and the occasional moment of mayhem!
First in a new series.

Worst Holiday Ever by Charlie Higson

By Leave a Comment

Times Children’s Book of the Week 15 May 2021

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Stan is going on holiday to Italy with his (fifth) best friend Felix and a load of strangers. Stan is absolutely terrified. Luckily, his mum’s given him an emergency list that includes how to survive a shark attack, and what to do if he gets kidnapped. Stan thinks that a better list would include how to cope with odd food, and what to do if he accidentally calls Felix’s mum ‘mum’ in front of everybody. And it soon turns out Italy is full of dangers and things that can go wrong.

One thing’s for certain, Stan’s not going to come back the same boy he left. He just hope he comes back at all . . . Worst. Holiday. Ever is a story about facing fears, dealing with worries, and how it’s OK to be anxious, scared, and sometimes a little bit brave.

Farmer Llama by Donna David ill. Fred Blunt

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A funny, rhyming picture book with a simple phonics-based text, just right for developing early reading skills.

Alarm-a-Llama bolts awake and bashes his poor head.
Pyjama-Llama rubs his eyes and climbs out of his bed.
Banana-Llama grabs some food. He’s ready for the day!
Farmer-Llama starts his truck and heads out to collect hay.

Fred Blunt is the perfect illustrator for loveable, accident-prone Farmer Llama—and the pesky cows who just won’t get out of the way. Great fun.