Middle grade books with silly, over-the-top humor offer kids a much-needed dose of pure fun.

These stories provide a break from the pressures of growing up and encourage readers to laugh. Books with absurd situations, quirky characters, and crazy plots tap into children’s natural desires to play. And while these books might make their parents cringe and roll their eyes, this type of humor encourages creativity and imagination, and helps build strong reading muscles to explore other genres in the future.