A relatively new prize for children’s writing will be awarded next week to the author and illustrator who have written the funniest  children’s book of the year.  The Roald Dahl Funny Prize (named after one of the world’s most imaginative and loved  authors for children) was founded by author Michael Rosen in 2008 to honour those books that simply make children laugh.  There are two categories, Age 6 and under, and Aged 7-14, with six finalists in each.  My favourites in the 6 and under category have to be Allan Ahlberg’s The Pencil and Nick Sharratt’s Octopus Socktopus.  I grew up with Allan Ahlberg’s stories and still love them, and Nick Sharratt has written and illustrated some great picture books recently, especially Foggy Foggy Forest.  The 7-14 category also has some really funny books, especially The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams of Little Britain fame (“Hello my name is Emily. Emily Howard and I am a Lady”), and one of my favourite reads of the year, Eating Things on Sticks by the very talented and funny Anne Fine.

So if you want something funny to read you should check these out.  We also have plenty of other hilariously funny books in the library.  One of my favourite characters is Jeremy James.  David Henry Wilson has written lots of books about him and his hilarious antics and they never fail to make me laugh.