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Tom E. Moffatt is the award-winning author of some of the funniest Kiwi books for kids. Tom won the Tom Fitzgibbon Award in 2015 for his debut children’s book, Barking Mad (you can read my review here). Tom has followed Barking Mad with Mind-Swapping Madness (you can read my review here) and Body-Hopping Hysterics, two hilarious collections of short stories about swapping minds and swapping bodies. Tom’s most recent books carry on his passion for making kids laugh, by telling jokes and teaching kids how to become an expert joke-teller.

I’m Joking: 500+ original jokes for kids is exploding with Tom’s own jokes, which are guaranteed to have kids and adults alike in stiches! The best thing about this collection is that they are jokes that you won’t have heard anywhere else before as they’re all Tom E. Moffatt originals, whether they be good, bad or very ugly. This is the best joke book for kids that I’ve ever read because they’re not just thrown haphazardly into the book. All of the jokes are split into different sections, so you can find the kind of jokes that you really want to read or share. There are jokes about animal sounds, puns about body parts, jokes entirely about eggs, knock-knock jokes and stinky poo gags. There is even a section at the end of the book with readers’ favourite jokes. My favourite section is the funny book titles, with book and author combos like Farm Fences by Barb Dwyer. Joke books are some of the most borrowed books in my school library and I know that this book will be an absolute winner with my kids. I’ll order one box-full please Tom!

You’re Joking: Become an Expert Joke-teller is Tom’s incredibly entertaining how-to guide for perfecting the art of telling jokes. This is a brilliant book that is desperately needed for those kids who love telling jokes. Sure, anyone can tell a joke but it takes skill to deliver a joke in such a way that is entertaining and has everyone in the room laughing. Inside this book you’ll find basic tips, practice jokes and exercises, and each sections ends with a reflection. There are 101 jokes of different types to help you practice different deliveries. Tom teaches you about the different types of jokes, how to build a repertoire, how to deliver different jokes, and where to find jokes. He explains how important it is to know your audience and that there is a right time and place for telling jokes. This book is a must-have for all kids who love telling jokes (and for the adults who wish they could do it better). It’s another great addition to both primary and high school libraries.

The Joke Collector’s Notebook is the perfect companion to You’re Joking, as it is the ideal place to write all of the jokes that you collect to add to your repertoire. This is not just a blank notebook though. Tom has added some chapter headings, like ‘Delivery Tips’ and ‘Knock-knock Jokes,’ but he has also left chapter titles blank so that you can add your own. Throughout the book there are plenty of blank pages, some with jokes or challenges on them that could inspire you. The challenges encourage you to try new things, like finding a joke that your teacher might enjoy and testing it out on them. This is such a cool book that I know so many kids would love. I want to have heaps of copies that I can just give out to kids who I see enjoying jokes. Its a book that would make a great present for kids of any age (or that adult in your life who loves sharing jokes).

All of Tom’s books are chock-full of the wonderful Paul Beavis’s bonkers illustrations. They are a great match for Tom’s bonkers stories and hilarious jokes.

Tom also has a YouTube channel where he shares his jokes in hilarious video compilations, with animations by Paul Beavis. Make sure you check out Tom’s website too for more info about his books, plus activities and jokes galore.

You can buy Tom’s books through his website (which links to Amazon), from Wheelers or from the fantastic Kiwi Kids Books website.