Kendal Rautzhan: Funny tales will entertain young readers

All around the world, people like to laugh. We know that while life isn’t always funny, finding a way to lighten the mood is always preferred because no one like to be under a dark cloud for long.

Reading books that make the reader/listener laugh is always a good choice when things have gone in the wrong direction. That’s exactly what you’ll find in the books reviewed today. From a bizarre, imaginative story of how a trip to the store for milk went completely sideways, to the story of a persistent boy trying to be an entrepreneur, and a bird who can’t fly but won’t give up trying, each of these three stories are certain to elicit smiles and laughter. What a great way to spend time together and steer the mood to a happy, lighter place. Read on.

Books to Borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

“Fortunately, the Milk,” by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Skottie Young, Harper, 113 pages

Read aloud: Age 8-12.

Read yourself: Age 8-9 and older.

Dad had gone out to fetch milk for his children’s breakfast cereal. When he finally returned, his son and daughter asked where he had been. His story went something like this:

He purchased the milk, emerged from the store, put the milk in his pocket and was promptly abducted by aliens, transported back and forth through time, faced pirates and unworldly beings, and was befriended by a Stegosaurus professor in a hot air balloon. As events progressed it became evident that the fate of the universe depended on him and, bizarrely, the milk. Fortunately, he still had it (the milk, that is).

Outrageously wonderful, inventive, imaginative, with nonstop hilarity throughout (including the fun illustrations), "Fortunately, the Milk" excels in every possible way.

Librarian’s Choice

Library: Stark County District Library, North Branch Library, 189 25th St. NW, Canton

Executive Director: Mary Ellen Icaza

Senior Director of Public Services: Jen Welsh

Branch Manager: Katherine Ferrero

Choices this week: “If You Give a Pig a Pancake,” by Laura Numeroff; “Maisy Drives the Bus,” by Lucy Cousins; “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” by Jeff Kinney.

Books to Buy

The following books are available at favorite bookstores.

“Willis Wilbur Wows the World,” by Lindsey Leavitt, illustrated by Daniel Duncan, Penguin Workshop, 2022, 206 pages, $13.99 hardcover

Read aloud: Age 8 and older

Read yourself: Age 8/9 and older.

At the end of third grade, Willis and his best friend, Shelley, would soon be going for six weeks to summer band camp. Willis and Shelley were basically inseparable since kindergarten, so Willis couldn’t imagine life any other way. Then, at the very last minute, Shelley announced that she couldn’t go to camp because her mom had taken a temporary job as a nurse in Hawaii and Shelley would be going with her the very next day – for the whole summer.

Willis was shocked and disappointed, but always wanting the best for Shelley, he knew he needed to be happy for her. As for Willis, it wasn’t too late to get the deposit back for camp and skip that altogether, but he knew his mother wouldn’t put up with him doing nothing all summer. Fortune seemed to shine on Willis when he saw a flyer for a local business competition for young entrepreneurs, offering scholarship money to help support the winner’s business. Willis knew this was his opportunity to take Shelley’s advice to make a date with destiny and apply. Deciding his best business idea would be to become the Neighborhood Life Coach for kids, he had to work fast to learn all about that and hone his skills before the day of the competition. But as Willis soon discovered, this was a much harder task to reach fame and fortune than he thought.

Hilarious, heartfelt, and loaded with fun, "Wilbur Willis Wows the World" will have kids ripping through this sensational novel at breakneck speed.

“Take a Breath,” written and illustrated by Sujean Rim, Atheneum, 2022, 40 pages, $17.99 hardcover

Read aloud: Ages 4-8.

Read yourself: Ages 6/7-8.

With each new morning, the birds are excited for their first flight of the day. But there’s one bird, Bob, who hasn’t been able to take flight yet, despite all of his efforts. So, Bob keeps busy on the ground, doing this and that, and continues to practice his flying. From one failed attempt after another, Bob can’t understand why he can’t fly.

Just when Bob is having a major meltdown over his inability to fly, Crow enters the picture and gives him the advice he’s needed all along – “Bob ... you just need to take a breath.” Crow then explains to Bob how to breathe mindfully, and together they practice and practice until it all begins to make sense.

Expressive illustrations perfectly complement this enormously clever and funny book about mindfulness, perseverance, and believing in yourself, making "Take a Breath" a real gem.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Kendal Rautzhan: Funny tales will entertain young readers