Humor in Children’s Literature
As Kerry Mallan says, “humor is a rather slippery term,” and have attempted to define it differently over the years. What has become clear is that humor shape-shifts. Young BodyBeing children, play with language–especially around the age of three. “Research into what children find funny has come up with the following elements,” writes Mallan, “exaggeration, human predicaments, surprise, ridicule, slapstick, defiance, the absurd, violence, verbal humour, incongruity.” While this deserves deep analysis into why violence and ridicule are considered humorous to children, and at what stages of development, it’s a helpful starting point for understanding what humor may look like in picture books.
Wordplay and incongruity are often intertwined with the misnaming of objects or people, or even creating new funny-sounding words. Dr. Seuss is, perhaps, one of the most well-known children’s authors thanks to his rhythmic and sensory-stimulating words that amplify the reading experience. Fox in Socks (1965) is a great example of Seuss’ masterful use of language play.
Chicks with bricks come. Chicks with blocks come. Chicks with bricks and blocks and clocks come. Look, sir. Look, sir. Mr. Knox, sir. Let’s do tricks with bricks and blocks, sir. Let’s do tricks with chicks and clocks, sir.
