From: Reid, Robert A. <REIDRA_at_uwec.edu>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:14:42 +0000

I mentioned in a post last week that Chris Crutcher and Jon Scieszka both h ave humorous autobiograhies. Here are some other examples of humor for kids and teens in biographies:

The Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming: There is a hilarious side-bar retellling a prank where a sailboat full of businessmen had one razor to s hare. Uncle Phin proposed that he shave first, then everyone shave half the ir beard and pass the razor on. When everyone had a first pass at it, the r azor would go around again to finish the jobs. Phin was the first to get th e razor on the second go-round. After he finished, he tossed the razor in t he ocean. The sheepish businessmen arrived on shore with half a beard each, except for the clean shaven Phin.

Bon Apetit: the Delicious Life of Julia Child by Jessie Hartland has an ill ustration of a card cue lady holding a card that reads, "You have spinach o n your teeth."

Beverly Cleary's A Girl from Yamhill recounts the time she climbed on the f armhouse roof and walked around. When her father caught her, he responded, "Next time do it on the ground."

Raold Dahl's autobiography Boy: Roald filled his sister's boyfriend's pipe with goat droppings while the rest of the family, including his mother, wat ched in conspiritorial silence. They didn't like the boyfriend.

What to Do about Alice by Barbara Kerley quotes Teddy Roosevelt - "I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly DO BOTH!"

Rob Reid

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Something Funny Happened at the Library (ALA Editions, 2003)

What's Black and White and Reid All Over? (ALA Editions, 2012)

Silly Books to Read Aloud (Huron Street Press, 2013)
Received on Wed 12 Jun 2013 04:14:42 PM CDT