"Humor is mankind's greatest blessing." - Mark Twain
Did you know that besides being National Poetry Month and some other unique "holidays" such as National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (April 2nd) and National High Five Day (April 18th), that April is also National Humor Month?
Well, it must be true, I read it on the Internet! ; P
Here's a "Friday Five" of humorous books available at Free Library, from smart and sarcastic to side-splitting slapstick, that have put a wry smile on my face and made me LOL.
Some of the most bizarre, out-there, laugh-out-loud non sequiturs and essays I have ever read. These are the writings of one of America's greatest humorists or the ramblings of a madman. Or both.
Presented by "America's Finest News Source", prepare to read some of the most absurd, ridiculous, silly, and of course completely fabricated stories and headlines from satirical news publication The Onion. A collection of some of the sharpest satire currently around and the quintessential parody paper of record.
Master of the monologue and the turn of a phrase, George Carlin was a philosopher in comedian's clothing. A smart, provocative, and wildly hilarious collection of essays, monologues, observations, and jokes that you'll read, re-read, and try to quote to make your friend's think you are smart and funny.
Scathing, satirical commentary from the humorist heir apparent to Mark Twain. Vonnegut's 1963 subversive science fiction novel takes jabs at the cold war, the atom bomb, technology, and theology with a crazy cast of characters. Dark humor at its finest.
Jean Shepherd's voice of midwestern Americana and nostalgia are the perfect narration for some of the funniest childhood stories you'll ever read. Some of the passages in this book were the basis for the holiday movie classic "A Christmas Story".
Search our catalog to find more items under the subject "humor" or "comedy".
Leave a comment and let us know what books you've checked out from the Free Library that have made you laugh!
If the previous year’s statistics are any indication of what consumers spent money on during the holidays, there is a good chance that you or someone you know may be receiving some sort of electronic media device as a gift this year.
Whether you are a seasoned gadget geek or “noob” to the high-tech world, the Free Library of Philadelphia has plenty of ebooks, podcasts, music, and videos for you to enjoy with your new computer, smartphone, tablet, or e-reader this holiday season!
First, you’ll need to have your library card and PIN handy as they are required to access these resources.
Don't have a library card? What are you waiting for? Get one today!
Next, head over to our digital media page, or try out the newest version of our mobile site on your smartphone or tablet.
If you need help searching for or accessing content, we have a comprehensive tutorial video to show you step-by-step how to download all the wonderful digital media we have available for borrowing.
The holiday season is a time for sharing, and what better gift to share with the young people in your life than books? Here are some great new holiday books for children. Look for them in local bookstores, or your local library.
Mary Hoffman's spunky heroine Grace returns in Grace at Christmas.Grace’s grandmother invites another family to Christmas time, but Grace does not want to share. Maybe a real, live ballerina will convince her!
Rachel’s family gets ready for a Hanukkah celebration in Erica Silverman's The Hanukkah Hop! illustrated by Steve D’Amico.
Donna L. Washington's new book,L’il Rabbit’s Kwanzaa, illustrated by Shane W. Evans, is great to share with the family. L’il Rabbit surprises Grandma with a special gift for Kwanzaa.
Everyone's favorite troublemaker, David, is back to celebrate Christmas in It’s Christmas, David!by David Shannon.
In The Money We’ll Saveby Brock Cole, Pa hopes to save money on Christmas dinner, so he brings home a turkey to the family’s tiny apartment in nineteenth-century New York City.
David Adler's The Story of Hanukkah, illustrated by Jill Weber, recounts the history of the holiday, in a child-friendly way.
Feeling crafty? Check out Jessica Strand's Holiday Crafting & Baking with Kids for fun ideas for Christmas, New Year's, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and more.
Ferdinand the Bull was Robert Lawson's most famous creation. In this Christmas card by Lawson, he peeks shyly out of a stocking.
This comical Christmas card by Lloyd Alexander is a self-caricature by the author.
Although most often remembered now for her children's books, Carolyn Haywood was also an accomplished mural painter who once served as an assistant to Violet Oakley. Here she depicts herself working on large-scale mural.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year . . . the time when we get to show off all of the beautiful artists’ Christmas and New Year’s cards in the children’s literature collections of the Free Library of Philadelphia. When we started processing the papers of children’s authors and illustrators Lloyd Alexander, Carolyn Haywood, and Robert Lawson as part of a CLIR-funded “Hidden Collections” grant, we didn’t expect that some of the most charming pieces of artwork would be mundane, ephemeral greeting cards. But these artists’ creativity spilled over into everything they did, and their handmade Christmas cards are often miniature gems. Robert and Marie Lawson even designed Christmas cards professionally, producing one a day for three years in the 1920s in order to pay for their first house. Other authors like Lloyd Alexander, best known for his Chronicles of Prydain series, only dabbled in drawing. Alexander’s humorous self-caricatures adorn Christmas cards sent to his friends, who would be sure to get the joke. Carolyn Haywood’s papers include not only the cards she designed, but also the hand-made cards sent to her by her artistic mentors, the Red Rose Girls. Don’t miss this seasonal exhibit, now on display on the ground floor of Parkway Central!
Our Children's Librarians recently asked each other for lists of our favorite Halloween books to share in spooky storytimes and to recommend to little goblins to take home and read with their families. Here is the list we came up with.
From picture books that will make you laugh to sinister poetry you better read with the lights on, this list has something for everyone.
What are your favorite books for this time of year? Come on down to one our storytimes and tell us what you like to read during those long fall nights with the wind howling and the skeleton fingers of bare branches knocking at your window?
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