The book review for the book Don’t Make Me Laugh, as well as this post itself was originally written ten years ago, when my blog was still a fledgling one. And actually, exactly ten years ago (to the date, almost) on February 14th, 2011. I of late have decided to check my older posts and revive the ones that I deemed can do with one. Kind of a decluttering and recycling of my blog content.
So here is a Magic Mondays post with minimal updates …
Magic Mondays
Flashback to Valentine’s Day, 2011
This weekend has been another superbusy weekend and this meant, no posts over the weekend. Yesterday was the annual Blue and Gold Banquet for our son’s scout pack and this was our first year here. It proved to be memorable. All the boys and their families had lots of fun.
The event is to celebrate Scouting Anniversary week and ours included a dinner, a talent show, awards and advancement badges for the scouts. In the talent show, our den’s 2 one-minute skits got a lot of laughs (I am sure this will keep them inspired to perform again next year).
The book I managed to review also gets a lots of laughs…
And Fast Forward to Today
Since that original post when my son was at the beginning of his Scouting journey, the last decade has seen him grow into a confident young man with a quirky sense of humor. And he became an Eagle Scout right at the end of the year that was, on December 31st, 2020.
My daughter too has moved from that little toddler to a Girl Scout who totally loved the Girl Scout cookie season and the mommy-and-me campouts, to now being part of the same scouting organization as her brother while working her own way towards becoming an Eagle Scout.
The two of them each have grown into their own unique sense of humor; and they never fail to make me laugh!!
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Book Review: Don’t Make Me Laugh
Book Info
Title: Don’t Make Me Laugh
Author/Illustrator: James Stevenson
Length: 32 pages
Genre: Children’s Humor(3 – 6 years)
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (March 24th 2003)
Description (Excerpted from Goodreads)
Do you feel like laughing?
Then you’d better not read this book!
There is no laughing allowed!
Do you hear?
NO LAUGHING!
Our Thoughts
Don’t make me laugh – this book just does what it asks you not to do. Makes me laugh.
What will kids do when told not to do something? Do it, of course; and when it is James Stevenson using the right combination of dialog and comical animal characters doing comical antics, they laugh more. The result – you follow the rules of the book, and start all over again right at the beginning!
Our favorite character was Mr.Frimdimpny and the kids started laughing every so often just so they could break the rules of this book and we start reading again.
[Feb 2021 update: Based on how old my kids were at the time we read this book, and the quick look back, I feel that this book will work for a slightly older audience (5 – 8 years) than the suggested target audience (3 – 6 years). Also, it might work better with an older person reading to one or two children than a bigger group setting.]
In Summary
This one is a keeper, for laughs!
Linking these books @ It’s Monday, What Are You Reading over at TeachMentorTexts
Related Reads
And Now, the End of This Post
Dear reader, what are the books that have made you laugh recently, or ones you remember from years ago? Picture books, books for older readers – all recommendations are welcome.
Happy Valentine’s Day plus 1 Monday! I don’t think I was ever a child, not one who likes fun or laughing anyways. I do remember being in Brownies the first year we were in Canada. I didn’t know much English then so didn’t understand or had much fun. This post clearly shows me up; 🙂 I read mostly mystery books – Trixie Belden, Hardy Boys as a young person and no books that made me laugh. 🙁 I’m still that way.
thanks so much Lily.. I am finally getting to replying to those comments I missed earlier..
Oh, not understanding the language can make it tougher..
Anyways, I loved the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series as well, though I don’t think I read Trixie Belden..
Don’t have little kids however, I do Love to Laugh! I think a fun book for that age group (or any age group) is Everyone Poops
🙂 I definitely would love to read one with that title. and recall seeing it recently. thanks for the reminder.
What a neat flashback post! Thanks so much for the trip back to the past!
thank you!!
I think Lia would love the book “Don’t Make Me Laugh” Vidya! As to decluttering and recycling your older blogs I love that idea!
she would definitely, and you would spend a long while reading you would need to get back to the start 🙂
It seems like almost every book I read these days makes me laugh, one way or another. And I’m grateful for that. I mean, the fiction ones do. And some of them are side-splitters. It’s such a pleasure to laugh with abandon!
that is so wonderful!! do let me know the ones you read recently and i will add them to my list of reading. And yes, totally agree about laughing with abandon..
How wonderful to go back through and do a decluttering. Great idea! I’ve only watched this book being read as a virtual read aloud. The book didn’t actually start until about 2 minutes into the video and it was very difficult to see the pictures and participate, so I’ll just have to get my hands on this one. Thanks so much for sharing, Vidya!
Thanks so much Shaye!! Oh, I need to look for that read aloud then.. just to see how it sounds 🙂