If the title alone doesn't pull you into this short chapter book, maybe the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"-like illustrations, "handwriting" of different narrators, etc. will. The book is The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger.

The light-hearted plot centers on building a case for whether or not the origami Yoda that Dwight carries around with him has "magic" powers of giving advice. Different characters tell their individual stories, and some characters make notes throughout the notebook in their own "handwriting."

I would recommend this book to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid as well as other stories of regular school life (with a little "twist")...like the Humphrey series, beginning with The World According to Humphrey (about a classroom hamster that seems to have the same "helping" effect as Yoda in this title.)

A sequel, Darth Paper Strikes Back, is newly published and available for check-out as well. 

Just Grace is the first book of a series by Charise Mericle Harper, and is a great early chapter book for a new chapter book reader. It is a fun, quick read...featuring lists and cartoonish drawings inside, in the spirit of Diary of Wimpy Kid.

This first book is about a girl named Grace, who gets re-named "Just Grace" much to her horror, early on in the school year because there are so many girls named Grace in her class. The main plotline is Grace's altruistic project to secretly help her neighbor, Mrs. Luther, who was sad because her beloved cat, Crinkles, started running away out of fear of her owner's new bright orange leg cast. Grace wants to cheer up her neighbor, but ends up being blamed when Crinkles goes missing---and then must solve the mystery to clear her name.

The Trouble with Chickens is a funny book for beginning chapter book readers. The book, written by Doreen Cronin (Diary of a Fly, Diary of a Spider, and Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type) has great cartoonish illustrations throughout by Kevin Cornell.

I just opened the box with four copies of the NEWEST Diary of a Wimpy Kid...#5: The Ugly Truth. I know they will fly off the shelves! Let us know if you want to put a hold on a copy. Call 754-5738 or email mtownlibrary@yahoo.com OR use your account and pin # to place a hold yourself!

Next summer, a Judy Moody movie, based on the book series by Megan McDonald, will hit the big screen.

This is the tenth anniversary of the start of the book series about the character, Judy, who is somewhere in between Ramona and Junie B. Jones in her adventurous, and sometimes mischievous personality. There is also a spin-off series, at a little lower reading level, about her younger brother, Stink.

Check out the Judy Moody website for info about all the books, joining a fan club, and fun stuff to do. And of course, check out books and books on CD, including the newest book coming out this month: Judy Moody, Girl Detective.

I just read a graphic novel (comic-style book) which has received excellent reviews: Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires (JFG Spires). Making excellent use of this format, the story has very funny pictures and features a housecat, Binky, whose dream it is to save the world from aliens....but settles on "saving" his own humans from the small aliens that fly around their house (bugs!)

A shorter story in the same spirit as the Hank the Cowdog series, this is a good choice for beginning chapter book readers, or just any reader who enjoys a funny story with a charming hero.

Lots of people have been waiting for Dog Days, the fourth book in the The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. We have four copies, so check yours out (or place a hold) today!

Also, browse through our display on the table near the orange reading pavilion "If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid...You Might Like:"  with lots of other funny book choices (including The Dork Diaries, Wayside School books, Frankie Pickle, Alvin Ho series, Moxy Maxwell series) that you might want to check out.

For all the Wimpy Kid fans....and there are a LOT....number 4 in the series by Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, is due to come out in October. We'll be getting more than one copy...and taking holds anytime.

I so often tell students in upper elementary through high school that I don't think you ever outgrow picture books...so I wanted to list a couple of great newer funny picture books that I think anyone (who shares my sense of humor!) would enjoy:

• The hilariously illustrated Too Many Pears by Jackie French
• My Father the Dog by Elizabeth Bluemle which highlights the amazing similarities between the dog and the father in this household.
• A Birthday for Cow by Jan Thomas, with great comic-like illustrations, and a duck who is a little obsessed with turnips
• Fifteen Animals (a board book) by one of the authors that ALWAYS entertains both Teresa and I: Sandra Boynton. If you've never read a Sandra Boynton book...you're missing out! Two of my other favorites is Moo Baa, La, La, La and What's Wrong Little Pookie?
• And for all those fellow Scaredy Squirrel fans out there, a new book has just joined the group of stories about this very parnoid rodent: Scaredy Squirrel at Night. 

Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney will be excited to know that we just added two copies of the third book in this series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw.

This series combines diary-like entries with "stick people" style comic art for a funny book about a middle school boy, Greg Heffley. They are fast to read, and would be recommended for someone who enjoys funny books, like Captain Underpants.

The talking dog character, Martha, from the picture books by Susan Meddaugh, is going to be the star of a new PBS show, Martha Speaks!

Check out several fun books about Martha at the library.

For a light, quick, and funny read, I recommend this new book by Peggy Gifford, Moxy Maxwell does NOT love Stuart Little.

The whole book takes place the last day of summer--a summer during which Moxy was supposed to read Stuart Little by E.B. White. Her twin brother, Mark already finished this assignment the very FIRST day of summer, but Moxy has procrastinated, and continues to do so on this last day, even though her Mom has said she won't be able to go to the synchronized swimming party after their recital.

Moxy goes to great lengths to do everything BUT read this book, including a room cleaning that involves shoving everything under her bed, and an ill-advised plan to start her own peach orchard.

One of the best thing about this book are the funny chapter titles (like "Chapter 23: In Which Moxie's Mother slams the door behind her, which is very unlike her) and the great photographs of all the activity that her brother Mark documents along the way.

Moxy is just that kind of protagonist that is very loveable, if a little crazy...the perfect kind!