TheGold Shelf

Funny books books for ages 9 to 12

85 award-winning books for ages 9 to 12. Books that make children laugh out loud.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals112Adventure205Fantasy and magic203Funny books85Family182Friendship87History and real people398Nature and science57Folktales and fairy tales62Poetry and rhyme48Feelings and big moments101

85 books

Cover of Magnolia Wu Unfolds It AllHonor2025Magnolia Wu Unfolds It AllChanel Miller2025 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Simon Sort of SaysHonor2024Simon Sort of SaysErin Bow2024 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Look Both WaysWinner2021Look Both WaysJason Reynolds2021 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of BrownWinner2020BrownHåkon Øvreås2020 Batchelder Award winnerCover of New KidWinner2020New KidJerry Craft2020 Newbery Medal winnerCover of The Ballad of a Broken NoseHonor2017The Ballad of a Broken NoseArne Svingen2017 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated AdventuresWinner2014Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated AdventuresKate DiCamillo2014 Newbery Medal winnerCover of Three Times LuckyHonor2013Three Times LuckySheila Turnage2013 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Dead End in NorveltWinner2012Dead End in NorveltJack Gantos2012 Newbery Medal winnerCover of Nicholas and the GangHonor2008Nicholas and the GangRené Goscinny2008 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of The Wednesday WarsHonor2008The Wednesday WarsGary D. Schmidt2008 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of JabberwockyWinner2004JabberwockyLewis Carroll2004 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of MillionsWinner2004MillionsFrank Cottrell-Boyce2004 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of HootHonor2003HootCarl Hiaasen2003 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Surviving the ApplewhitesHonor2003Surviving the ApplewhitesStephanie S. Tolan2003 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of A Book of CouponsHonor2002A Book of CouponsSusie Morgenstern2002 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Everything on a WaffleHonor2002Everything on a WafflePolly Horvath2002 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of A Year Down YonderWinner2001A Year Down YonderRichard Peck2001 Newbery Medal winnerCover of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated RodentsWinner2001The Amazing Maurice and His Educated RodentsTerry Pratchett2001 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of A Long Way from ChicagoHonor1999A Long Way from ChicagoRichard Peck1999 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Alice's Adventures in WonderlandWinner1999Alice's Adventures in Wonderlandan edition of the 1865 classic by Lewis Carroll1999 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of HolesWinner1999HolesLouis Sachar1999 Newbery Medal winnerCover of Secret Letters from 0 to 10Honor1999Secret Letters from 0 to 10Susie Morgenstern1999 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Nero Corleone: a Cat's StoryHonor1998Nero Corleone: a Cat's StoryElke Heidenreich1998 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963Honor1996The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963Christopher Paul Curtis1996 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Catherine, Called BirdyHonor1995Catherine, Called BirdyKaren Cushman1995 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Flour BabiesWinner1992Flour BabiesAnne Fine1992 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of Goggle-EyesWinner1989Goggle-EyesAnne Fine1989 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of A Pack of LiesWinner1988A Pack of LiesGeraldine McCaughrean1988 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of Galahad Schwartz and the Cockroach ArmyWinner1987Galahad Schwartz and the Cockroach ArmyMorgan Nyberg1987 Governor General's Award (text) winnerCover of The Whipping BoyWinner1987The Whipping BoySid Fleischman1987 Newbery Medal winnerCover of Ramona Quimby, Age 8Honor1982Ramona Quimby, Age 8Beverly Cleary1982 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of KonradWinner1979KonradChristine Nöstlinger1979 Batchelder Award winnerCover of Ramona and Her FatherHonor1978Ramona and Her FatherBeverly Cleary1978 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The Man from IronbarkWinner1975The Man from IronbarkA. B. Paterson1975 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of The Ghost of Thomas KempeWinner1973The Ghost of Thomas KempePenelope Lively1973 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of When Shlemiel Went to Warsaw and Other StoriesHonor1969When Shlemiel Went to Warsaw and Other StoriesIsaac Bashevis Singer1969 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerWinner1968From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerE. L. Konigsburg1968 Newbery Medal winnerCover of The Little ManWinner1968The Little ManErich Kästner1968 Batchelder Award winnerCover of The Story of Appleby CappleHonor1951The Story of Appleby CappleAnne Parrish1951 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny LongfootHonor1948The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny LongfootCatherine Besterman1948 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The Twenty-One BalloonsWinner1948The Twenty-One BalloonsWilliam Pène du Bois1948 Newbery Medal winnerCover of Rufus M.Honor1944Rufus M.Eleanor Estes1944 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The Wind on the MoonWinner1944The Wind on the MoonEric Linklater1944 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of The Middle MoffatHonor1943The Middle MoffatEleanor Estes1943 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Mr. Popper's PenguinsHonor1939Mr. Popper's PenguinsRichard and Florence Atwater1939 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Pecos Bill: The Greatest Cowboy of All TimeHonor1938Pecos Bill: The Greatest Cowboy of All TimeJames Cloyd Bowman1938 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The Family from One End StreetWinner1937The Family from One End StreetEve Garnett1937 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of Honk, the MooseHonor1936Honk, the MoosePhil Stong1936 Newbery Medal Honor BookLaughter Is the Best EndingMaryam MasterWinner2025Laughter Is the Best EndingMaryam Master2025 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winnerRuntCraig SilveyWinner2023RuntCraig Silvey2023 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winnerTelephone TalesGianni RodariWinner2021Telephone TalesGianni Rodari2021 Batchelder Award winnerNicholasRené GoscinnyHonor2006NicholasRené Goscinny2006 Batchelder Award Honor BookBuster's WorldBjarne ReuterWinner1990Buster's WorldBjarne Reuter1990 Batchelder Award winnerThe Turbulent Term of Tyke TilerGene KempWinner1977The Turbulent Term of Tyke TilerGene Kemp1977 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerCover of Chronicles of a Lizard NobodyShortlist2026Chronicles of a Lizard NobodyPatrick Ness2026 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of PopcornShortlist2026PopcornRob Harrell2026 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of Sputnik's Guide to Life on EarthShortlist2017Sputnik's Guide to Life on EarthFrank Cottrell-Boyce2017 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of Audrey (cow)Finalist2015Audrey (cow)Dan Bar-el2015 Governor General's Award (text) finalistCover of We Are All Made of MoleculesFinalist2015We Are All Made of MoleculesSusin Nielsen2015 Governor General's Award (text) finalistCover of A Boy and a Bear in a BoatShortlist2013A Boy and a Bear in a BoatDave Shelton2013 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of JimShortlist2011JimHilaire Belloc, 19072011 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The Death-Defying Pepper RouxShortlist2011The Death-Defying Pepper RouxGeraldine McCaughrean2011 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of The DunderheadsShortlist2010The DunderheadsPaul Fleischman2010 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of CosmicShortlist2009CosmicFrank Cottrell-Boyce2009 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of Ottoline and the Yellow CatShortlist2008Ottoline and the Yellow CatChris Riddell2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of FramedShortlist2005FramedFrank Cottrell-Boyce2005 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of The Scarecrow and His ServantShortlist2004The Scarecrow and His ServantPhilip Pullman2004 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of Stop The TrainHighly commended2001Stop The TrainGeraldine McCaughrean2001 Carnegie Medal for Writing highly commendedCover of Johnny and the BombCommended1996Johnny and the BombTerry Pratchett1996 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedCover of Double ActHighly commended1995Double ActJacqueline Wilson1995 Carnegie Medal for Writing highly commendedCover of There Was An Old Man...: A Collection of LimericksFinalist1994There Was An Old Man...: A Collection of LimericksEdward Lear1994 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The Story of Tracy BeakerHighly commended1991The Story of Tracy BeakerJacqueline Wilson1991 Carnegie Medal for Writing highly commendedCover of Bill's New FrockHighly commended1989Bill's New FrockAnne Fine1989 Carnegie Medal for Writing highly commendedCover of The BongleweedCommended1973The BongleweedHelen Cresswell1973 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedCover of MidniteCommended1968MidniteRandolph Stow1968 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers commendedCover of The PiemakersCommended1967The PiemakersHelen Cresswell1967 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedCover of The Warden's NieceCommended1957The Warden's NieceGillian Avery1957 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedKing of NothingNathanael LessoreShortlist2025King of NothingNathanael Lessore2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedMortifiedKristy JacksonFinalist2024MortifiedKristy Jackson2024 Governor General's Award (text) finalistSteady for ThisNathanael LessoreShortlist2024Steady for ThisNathanael Lessore2024 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedWed WabbitLissa EvansShortlist2018Wed WabbitLissa Evans2018 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedGoth Girl and the Ghost of a MouseChris RiddellShortlist2015Goth Girl and the Ghost of a MouseChris Riddell2015 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedBook of NonsenseMichael RosenShortlist1997Book of NonsenseMichael Rosen1997 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedSun on the StubbleColin ThieleCommended1962Sun on the StubbleColin Thiele1962 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers commended