15 funny book series to get children reading in 2020

I regularly receive books to review, and I’m often asked for recommendations by friends. Here are some of the chapter books series I suggest to parents with children aged 5 to 8, starting with the books for the youngest:

Rabbit and Bear by Julian Gough
Rabbit & Bear, written by Julian Gough and illustrated by Jim Field, is a series with four books that can appeal to both boys and girls. The main characters are the kind and warm Bear and the grumpy Rabbit, and in the books, Bear teaches Rabbit important wisdom about friendship and happiness. The sweet and funny books are beautifully-illustrated with around 100 pages each. The language is straightforward, and readers may even pick up some facts about wildlife in the text. The latest book, Rabbit & Bear A Bite in the Night (Hodder Children’s Books, £9.99), was published in August 2019.

Pug by Laura James
For young readers who like pet-themed books, the laugh-out-loud funny Pug series by Laura James makes for a great choice. The books follow the adventures of posh Lady Miranda, who reminds me of Eloise from the Eloise books, and her trusted pug. The latest book in the series, Pirate Pug (Bloomsbury, £5.99) sees the duo go on a seaside holiday and the book has 116 pages.

Wigglesbottom Primary by Pamela Butchart
At Wigglesbottom Primary, class 2R appears to be used to chaos, and the comic stories from their school days make for hilarious reading for young audiences. The Wigglesbottom Primary series by Pamela Butchart, published by Nosy Crow, can be ideal for both boys and girls transitioning to chapter books, and the books are around 100 pages long with plenty of funny two-colour illustrations by Becka Moor. The sixth title in the series is due to be published in March 2020.

Horace & Harriet
For comical stories about a statue that comes to live, look out for the Horace & Harriet books, written and illustrated by Clare Elsom and aimed at children aged 5 and over. The first book Horace & Harriet: Takes on Town(Oxford University Press, £5.99) tells the story about Harriet, who is 7 and a quarter and lives in small town where there’s a statue of a commander from the seventeenth century in the local park. One day the pompous statue comes to life, and it turns out that the admiral, called Horace for short, is on the hunt for a new pillar as his home. The responsible Harriet helps Horace on the search for the perfect spot, taking the two on a hilarious adventure. The books features funny two-colour illustrations, as well as a dictionary at the end with some of the difficult words that Horace uses in his dialogue.

The Naughtiest Unicorn by Pip Bird
To me, it’s always a good sign when I hear children laughing out loud while reading a book, and that’s why we love The Naughtiest Unicorn series by Pip Bird. The series is recommended for ages 6 and over and follows sweet Mira and her greedy and cheeky unicorn Dave at Unicorn School. In the fourth book in the series, The Naughtiest Unicorn at Christmas (Egmont, £5.99), the duo is getting ready for the Christmas Show, and while hoping to get the lead roles, they end up playing a worm and a pebble. With unicorn jokes and witty illustrations by David O’Connell, this hilarious series will appeal to young readers who enjoy books with silly characters and plots.

Darcy Dolphin by Sam Watkins
The loveable Darcy Dolphin is a curious and funny dolphin and her on-the-point diaries are sure to bring on the giggles. The entertaining life under sea keeps surprising readers, and I would particularly recommend the first book in the series: The Fintastic Diary of Darcy Dolphin by Sam Watkins (Egmont, £5.99). Readers can expect fun play on words and hilarious black and white illustrations by Vicky Barker.

Bad Nana by Sophy Henn
The Bad Nana books by Sophy Henn (HarperCollins, £8.99) follows Jeanie and her mad gran, who is not at all bad in Jeanie’s view. There are two books in the laugh-out-loud funny series, and the latest book Bad Nana : All the Fun of the Fair sees Jeanie, Bad Nana and the rest of the family go to the annual town fair where Bad Nana looks like she’s about to cause trouble after a surprise outcome of the fancy dress competition. The story is told through the eyes of enthusiastic seven-year old Jeanie, making readers smile from start to finish and giving the book a fresh feel. An unputdownable read with bold three-colour illustrations.

Marge in Charge by Isla Fisher
The exhilarating Marge in Charge books by Isla Fisher have been some of our favourite books, and these chapter books–split into three stories–have readers captivated from the get-go. The series follows the adventures of seven-year-old Jemima and four-year-old Jakey when their crazy babysitter Marge is in charge. Marge has rainbow-coloured hair, regularly bends the rules and takes the children on unexpected and funny experiences. My favourite book in the series is Marge and the Great Train Rescue (Piccadilly Press, £5.99), where Marge takes the children on trips outside the home, including a hilarious visit to the zoo. The books boast funny black and white illustrations.

Sam Wu by Katie and Kevin Tsang
In the children’s book series by husband and wife author duo Katie and Kevin Tsang, readers follow the often distressed Sam Wu on his adventures. In Sam Wu is NOT afraid of the dark (Egmont, £5.99), which was published in 2019, Sam goes on a camping trip where he is faced with sleepless nights and worries of big bears and aliens. The 205-page long book features short chapters and sentences, funny black and white illustrations by Nathan Reed, plenty of dialogue and lots of giggles. The fifth book in the series, Sam Wu is NOT afraid of zombies (Egmont, £5.99), was published in January 2020.

Dave the Dragon by Elys Dolan
With a medieval fantasy-setting and hilarious characters, Elys Dolan’s Dave the Dragon books take young readers on mad-cap adventures. There are three books in the series, which are packed with funny black and white illustrations and can make for entertaining reading for both boys and girls. In the third book, King Dave: Royalty for Beginners (Oxford University Press, £6.99) Dave the Dragon is throne-sitting and making the most of being royal while the king is away.

Mr Gum by Andy Stanton
The Mr Gum series by Andy Stanton, published by Egmont, is sure to delight readers enjoying comical stories, as the books follows the mad adventures of the despicable Mr Gum. Mr Gum, lives in a small and quiet town called Lamonic Bibber, where there’s also a kind-hearted and sensible nine-year-old called Polly, who regularly has to step in to save the day. There are eight books in the series, and they can appeal to both boys and girls.

Izzy by Pamela Butchart
For another laugh-out-loud funny series by Pamela Butchart, look out for the nine books about Izzy and her friends, which feature short sentences and black and white illustrations by Thomas Flintham. In the latest title in the series–Icarus was Ridiculous by Pamela Butchart (Nosy Crow, £6.99)– Izzy shares four stories from Greek mythology, relating the morals in the stories to situations arising in her own life. This title is part of a Nosy Crow collaboration with the British Museum, and the first story finishes with the class visiting the British Museum. In my view, this is a hilarious read that makes greek mythology accessible and fun for children, and we’ve bought it as a present for several 8-year-old friends.

The Bolds by Julian Clay
With plenty of silly jokes and a wild and adventurous hyena family, The Bolds series by Julian Clay can make for hilarious reading for both boys and girls. The books follow a unique family of hyenas living as people, but regularly struggle to keep out of trouble. In The Bolds on Holiday (Penguin, £6.99), the family travels to Cornwall to go camping with relatives when little Bobby is mistaken for a pup. The books features hilarious illustrations by David Roberts.

Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
A few years ago I remember a mum telling me that the Treehouse books by Andy Griffiths had gotten her son excited about reading, and these hilarious books published by Macmillan Children’s Books can be unputdownable for children. While each title has from around 200 pages, there are plenty of funny black and white illustrations by Terry Denton that makes the Treehouse series an easy read for a confident readers. The books are suitable for both boys and girls.

Barry Loser by Jim Smith
When I started reading Barry Loser is the best at football Not! by Jim Smith (Egmont, £6.99)–the tenth book in the Barry Loser series–I found myself sitting and smiling to myself despite clearly being outside the target audience of 7 to 10 year olds. In the book Barry’s class has gone World Cup crazy, and young football fans and children collecting football cards should try this entertaining book. There are now eleven books in the Barry Loser series, which boasts short chapters, as well as funny dialogue and illustrations.

For more humorous books for children aged 7 and over, I would also suggest looking at books by authors like Roald Dahl, David Walliams and Anne Fine. In addition, the Tom Gates and Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are hugely popular, but they may be better suited for ages 8 and over.

Tags: Andy Griffiths, Chapter books, Children's books, Egmont, Hodder Children’s Books, Julian Clay, Oxford University Press, Pamela Butchart, Piccadilly Press