friday's five, silly as silly can be

I'm prepping this post several days early as I prepare to head out for a big, amazing, unbelievable trip. I imagine said trip will feature prominently in a blog post in the near future, and I am 1000% sure that it will be indescribable but that I'll give it my best shot. In all my excitement, it seems only natural that this week should be focused on books that are silly and make kids and adults giggle with joy.

Onto the books!

1. Don't Blink written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by David Roberts

Right from the beginning, this book's intention is made clear-- if the reader can avoid finishing the book, they can avoid bedtime. But, each time the reader blinks, a page must be turned. It's pretty darn hard not to blink, though! So, the helpful owl from the cover encourages the reader to try thing after thing to keep from blinking, and the silly factor rises each time, with optical illusions even coming into play. This book is filled with the joyfulness that Amy Krouse Rosenthal embodied and gives kids reasons to giggle on each page. 

2. This is a Taco! written by Andrew Cangelose and illustrated by Josh Shipley

What starts as a standard informational book about squirrels quickly turns chaotic as the squirrel featured in the book lives a bit differently than most of his squirrel peers. This guy, named Taco based on his adoration of the yummy food, doesn't behave like other squirrels, and he's not a big fan of the direction the book is taking when it begins to talk about predators. So, Taco takes matters into his own hands, learning that he can write his own story! And, of course, his version includes tacos, of course! Read this one for the silly gags and be sure to find your silliest voice if you're doing this as a read aloud.

3. Delivery Bear written by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Paco Sordo

Zogby the bear has always known what he wanted to be when he grew up-- a delivery person. When he sees a job advertisement posted for this very position, his heart soars! Good pay and free cookies? What could be better? Zogby gets hired even though the manager of Fluffy Tail Cookies isn't sure he's cut out for the job. Unfortunately, his first few customers react in fear when they see a big bear at their door, but Zogby tries and tries to adapt his image to keep customers comfortable. His work pays off in the long run when they realize he's a friendly bear whose bear hugs are the best! This one is filled with silly songs that Zogby sings on his delivery runs and has hilarious illustrations.

4. Do You Believe in Unicorns? written and illustrated by Bethanie Deeney Murguia

Sure to be a delight with kids who already have a love of unicorns, this picture book's silliness lies in the 'is it or isn't it?' questioning format that will have kids giggling over the very well-placed hats and other items that block readers' view of the various 'horses' on the pages. The illustration style here is big-eyed and cartoonish, fun and engaging for young readers. It's a quick read, so be sure to spend time encouraging little ones to look all over the pages for clues and silly items in the background.

5. A Couch for Llama written and illustrated by Leah Gilbert

The Lago family has a very well-loved couch that has served them perfectly for a long time. But, it seems to be time for a replacement after years of snuggling, reading, card playing, fort building, and hide and seeking. It took a little searching, but soon enough they find a new one that everyone loves, so they load it atop their car and head home. Unfortunately, things go awry when the couch falls off the car and plops right into a field that's home to a llama. What will become of this couch? Will Llama get a comfy seat of his own? The ending is silly enough to keep kids chuckling after the book gets closed.

With that, happy Friday and enjoy your weekend reading!