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Wickedly Witty

By Alice Asleson

The topics of these books may be dark, morbid, or twisted, but the way they're written is hilarious! These books are great for middle grade readers, but adults (like me) enjoy them too!

  • The Bad Beginning

    1999 by Lemony Snicket

    Violet, Klaus, and Sunny lose their parents in a tragic fire, which starts a chain reaction of one bad thing after another. Sounds depressing, right? Believe it or not, you'll only be crying from laughter. If you like this book, you can continue on with the twelve remaining books in the series and then read the spin-off series, All the Wrong Questions.

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  • The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place

    2014 by Julie Berry

    Seven girls at a boarding school attempt to hide the fact that their headmistress and her brother have been mysteriously poisoned and killed. They run into nosy neighbors and inconvenient coincidences, which lead to hilarious adventures. If you enjoy listening to books, the audiobook version, narrated by Jayne Entwistle, is fantastic!

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  • The Witches

    1983 by Roald Dahl

    A list about wicked wit would certainly be incomplete without a book by Roald Dahl. This one is extra creepy, with bald, clawed, toe-less witches disguised as humans and devoted to kidnapping children. The ideas are so zany and the characters so engaging that you'll simultaneously be climbing out of your skin and rolling on the floor laughing.

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  • Sideways Stories from Wayside School

    1985 by Louis Sachar

    A collection of short stories about the wackiest school you've ever heard of. Every character in the class is strange and unique, and the situations they find themselves in are just as wild. This is the kind of book that you can read over and over again and find new jokes every time. If you like this book, there are four more books in the series!

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  • Half Magic.

    1954 by Edward Eager

    This classic fantasy book was one of J.K. Rowling's biggest influences for the Harry Potter series. Half Magic is about four siblings who find a magic coin which grants half-wishes. The possibilities seem endless! (Or maybe half-endless?) Uproarious adventures ensue. This is the first in a four-book series.

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  • Coraline

    2002 by Neil Gaiman

    Coraline's boredom and dissatisfaction with her life lead her to open a mysterious door in her house, where she finds herself in a seemingly perfect world. However, she begins to notice strange, disturbing things about this new world. Is it too late for her to go back? This creepy book has also been made into a popular movie!

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  • The Mysterious Benedict Society

    2007 by Trenton Lee Stewart

    There are no rules at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where four gifted and peculiar children set out in search of "special opportunities." If you enjoy brain-bending riddles and clever jokes, this is the book for you! If you like this book, make sure to read the rest of the trilogy!

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  • A Whole Nother Story

    2010 by Cuthbert Soup

    Similar to A Series of Unfortunate Events, in that the author sometimes breaks in to give advice and tell side stories. The characters are quirky--what else could you expect from a genius named Mr. Cheeseman and his three children?--and the adventures that befall them are outrageous, clever, and entertaining. Make sure to read the sequel, Another Whole Nother Story.

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  • Nightmares!

    2014 by Jason Segel

    Written by actor Jason Segel, this book is about facing fears. Eleven-year-old Charlie has nightmares which threaten to follow him into his real-world life. The characters he meets throughout the book are not always what they seem, and Charlie begins to question his fears. This is the first in a series that is still coming out!

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