Just Joking

Just Joking illustrated by Dan McGuiness (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $6.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-735-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

         Why did the bicycle fall over?
         Because it was two-tyred.

Just Joking, brought out by Scholastic for Camp Quality, is a new joke book jam packed with over 300 jokes. In the forward, Simon Rountree, the Camp Quality CEO, explains just why laughter is the best medicine. Camp Quality assists children living with cancer and the organisation lives and breathes this motto. Also important is the money raised by the joke books which goes towards funding important programs for Camp Quality.

         When does the alphabet only have 24 letters?
         When U and I aren’t there.

The black and white illustrations do more than just decorate the pages; they often form part of the joke. Just Joking is an attractive and well-laid out book, easy to read cover to cover or to flick through.

This is an inexpensive, affordable book, and includes joke donated by Aussie kids. Children can also donate their favourite jokes at www.campquality.org/yourjoke. Sprinkled throughout the book, amongst the jokes and riddles, are activity pages to keep kids busy. There are mazes, word searches and mad libs (where you can make up small, mad, funny stories). So grab the book, pick up a pen and get ready to laugh.

        What do you call two banana peels?
        A pair of slippers.

‘Camp Quality is committed to bringing hope and happiness to children living with cancer, their families and communities, through ongoing quality recreations, educational and financial support programs. Scholastic Australia is proud to donate all royalties from sales to this worthy cause.’

1001 Aussie Crack-Ups

1001 Aussie Crack-ups (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-319-4
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop



Q: Why was 6 scared?
A: Because 7 8 9 (7 ate 9).

Camp Quality, a children’s family cancer charity, believes laughter is the best medicine. It can exercise your mind and body in the same way as physical activities such as rowing and jogging. This book provides an excellent start to laughter. There are some old, tried and true jokes along with many new jokes I’d never heard before.

Q: How do you make a bandstand?
A: Hide all their chairs.

Divided into 20 fun sections such as Goofy Geography, this joke book is easy to navigate and the large type and funny pictures means that even the youngest readers can join in reading jokes aloud. Anyone can open the book at random and ask a funny riddle.

Gross-Out Groaners has:
Q: Why do gorillas have big noses?
A: Because they have big fingers.

Animal Wise Quacks asks:
Q: What do you call a story about a hairy little horse?
A: A ponytale.

Included are jokes donated by celebrities such as David Koch, Andy Griffiths, Luke Mangan and Rachel Finch. Wall E. (from Disney Pixar) supplied one of my favourites:
Q: What do you do if you see a spaceman?
A: You park in it man.

This book will tickle every funny bone (child and adult). It’s a great one for your collection, or better yet, leave it lying around the house waiting to be picked up at random.

Parting joke: There are two snowmen standing on a hill. One turns to the other and says, “Say, do you smell carrots?”

All royalties from this book go to Camp Quality. For information on this charily, visit their website www.campquality.org.au

365 Awesome Aussie Jokes

365 Awesome Aussie Jokes (various contributors, illustrated by Louise O'Shea (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-1-74169-6103
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton
http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com/

Everyone loves a joke book and everyone will love this one with jokes suitable for all ages. There are knock, knock jokes; puns and riddles:

How does a snake hurry?

It gets a wriggle on.

and

What has four wheels and flies?

A garbage truck.

There is a joke for everyday of the year; great for kids to look up the joke for their birthday. Celebrity contributors include Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson and actress Kate Ritchie. Black-and-white cartoonish illustrations add to the feel good vibe of the book.

But not only will you feel good from having a laugh, you will also feel good that all the royalties from sales of 365 Awesome Aussie Jokes will be donated by Scholastic to Camp Quality for their work in helping children and their families living with cancer through their recreational, educational and financial programs.

You can also send in your own Aussie joke for consideration for next year's joke book. Submit to www.campquality.org.au/yourjoke