The Weekly Books: Silly Reads

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex: This hilarious middle grade sci-fi novel (age 13+ for some language) takes place in a somewhat dystopian world that has been invaded by Boovs (alien robots). We follow a human girl named Gratuity, her cat named Pig, and her accidental Boov companion named J-Lo as they try to save the world from another race of invading aliens. It’s a wild and extremely original, imaginative page-turner.

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith and Kate Cowley: This children’s book describes the unique donkey that the narrator encounters along the road. Each page adds a ridiculous characteristic to the donkey using rhyming words. The book gained fame through a video of a grandma reading the story to her infant grandchild.

Big Orange Splot by Daniel Manus Pinkwater: This silly story follows Mr. Plumbean who lives on a street where all the houses are the same and everyone likes it that way. And then one day a bird drops a can of bright orange paint on his house. From there, Mr. Plumbean changes his mindset and that of all his neighbors in a tale that comes to celebrate the importance of individual uniqueness. I like to read this aloud when I’m subbing to middle and high schoolers.

The Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install: I just like books about robots apparently. I picked this up on a whim at the library one day. This is a silly adult read. Protagonist Ben forms an unlikely friendship with robot Tang who shows up in Ben’s garden one day. Tang is ornery and Ben just wants to be left alone. But they are both broken in their own ways and need each other. Together they journey to find Tang’s creator with all kinds of (mis)adventures along the way. Uplifting, funny, and a quick read.