Abstract
Humor and wordplay are invaluable instructional tools for encouraging improved literacy and enhanced vocabulary development. This chapter explores a variety of children’s picture books and adolescent novels by authors, such as Mo Willems, Fred Gwynne, Peggy Parish, and Lemony Snicket, who purposefully seek to use humor and wordplay in their writing. Additionally, this chapter will take a pedagogical approach to the discussion by examining methodologies in which classroom teachers can utilize humorous texts to enhance enjoyment of literacy development for students. Educational researchers and classroom practitioners alike argue that vocabulary development which is enjoyable and creative is more effective than rote memorization methodologies.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Apter, M. J., & Desselles, M. (2012). Disclosure humor and distortion humor: A reversal theory analysis. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 25(4), 147–435.
Arter, L. (2018). Lemony Snicket and the noir narrative: Shaping the millennial generation’s advocacy as opposition to generation X’s apathy. In K. M. Jackson, & M. West (Eds.), Shapers of American Childhood. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company.
Bariaud, F. (1988). Age differences in children’s humor. Journal of Children in Contemporary Society, 20(1–2), 15–45.
Bryant, J., & Zillmann, D. (1989). Using humor to promote learning in the classroom. In e. P. E. McGhee (Ed.), Humor and children’s development: A guide to practical applications (pp. 49–78). New York, NY: The Haworth Press.
Cairns, H. S., Waltzman, D., & Schlisselberg, G. (2004). Detecting the ambiguity of sentences: Relationship to early reading skill. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 25(2), 68–78.
Cornett, C. (2001). Learning through laughter – again. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa International.
Cunningham, J. (2005). Children’s humor. In W. G. Scarlett (Ed.), Children’s play (pp. 93–109). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
DeLuca, G., & Natov, R. (1977). Comedy in children’s literature: An overview. The Lion and the Unicorn, 1, 4–8.
Eyler, J. (2015). Is teaching an art or a science? Retrieved from http://cte.rice.edu/blogarchive/2015/09/13/isteachingartorscience.
Ford, T. E. (2015). The social condequences of disparagement humor: Introduction and overview. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 28(2), 163–169.
Gendry, S. (2016). 10 hormones of happiness. Retrieved from Laughter Online University: www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/10-hormones-happiness.
Gotz, M. (2006). Laughing with educational programmes. Televizion, 19,47–51.
Handy, B. (2017). Wild things: The joy of reading children’s literature as an adult. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Hiebert, E. H., & Raphael, T. E. (2013). Early literacy instruction. Santa Cruz, CA: TextProject.
Hoicka, E., & Akhtar, N. (2012). Early humour production. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 30, 586–603.
Hunter, S. C., Fox, C. L., & Jones, S. E. (2016). Humor style similarity and difference in friendship dyads. Journal of Adolescence, 46, 30–37.
Janes, L. M., & Olson, J. M. (2000). Jeer pressures: The behavioral effects of observing ridicule of others. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26(4), 474–485.
Larrick, N. (1987). Illiteracy starts too soon. The Phi Delta Kappan, 69(3), 184–189.
Martin, R. A. (1988). Humor and the mastery of living: Using humor to cope with the daily stresses of growing up. Journal of Children in Contemporary Society, 20(1/2), 135–154.
Marzano, R. J. (2017). The new art and science of teaching. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
McGhee, P. E. (1977). A model of the origins and early development of incongruity-based humour. In A. J. Chapman & H. C. Foot (Eds.), It’s a funny thing, humour (pp. 27–36). Oxford, UK: Pergamon Press.
McGhee, P. E. (1979). Humor: Its origin and development. San Francisco, CA: Freeman.
McGhee, P. E. (1988). Introduction: Recent developments in humor research. Journal of Children in Contemporary Society, 20(1/2), 1–12.
McGraw, A. P., & Warren, C. (2010). Benign violations: Making immoral behavior funny. Psychological Science, 21(8), 1141–1149.
McGraw, A. P., Williams, L. E., & Warren, C. (2014). The rise and fall of humor: Psychological distance modulates humorous responses to tragedy. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 5, 566–572.
McLellan, D. (2010). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from Obituary: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/21/local/la-me-sid-fleischman21-2010mar21.
Mireault, G., Poutre, M., Sargent-Hier, M., Dias, C., Perdue, B., & Myrick, A. (2012). Humour perception and creation between parents and 3- to 6-month-old infants. Infant and Child Development, 21, 338–347.
Morreall, J. (1981). Humor and aesthetic education. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 15(1), 55–70.
Morreall, J. (1991). Humor and work. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research., 4(3–4), 359–373.
Nolen, S. B. (2007). Young children’s motivation to read and write: Development in social contexts. Cognitive Instruction, 25, 219–270.
Poole, C. (2005). Don’t forget to laugh: The importance of humor: Giggles! Scholastic Early Childhood Today, 19(5), 29–30.
Scheel, T. (2017). Definitions, theories, and measurement of humor. In T. Scheel & C. Gockel (Eds.), Humor at work in teams, leadership, negotiations, learning and health (pp. 9–29). New York, NY: Springer.
Smith, J. S. (1967). The hoot of little voices: Humor in children’s books. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Southam, M. (2005). Humor development: An important cognitive and social skill in the growing child. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 25(1/2), 105–117.
Vossler, J., & Sheidlower, S. (2011). Humor and information literacy: Practical techniques for library instruction. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
Zillmann, D., & Bryant, J. (1989). Guidelines for the effective use of humor in children’s educational television programs. In P. E. McGhee (Ed.), Humor and children’s development: A guide to practical applications (pp. 201–221). New York, NY: The Haworth Press.
Zipke, M. (2008). Teaching metalinguistic awareness and reading comprehension with riddles. The Reading Teacher, 62(2), 128–137. Retrieved from Reading Rockets.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Arter, L.M. (2019). Linguistic Gymnastics: Humor and Wordplay in Children’s and Adolescent Literature. In: Loizou, E., Recchia, S.L. (eds) Research on Young Children’s Humor. Educating the Young Child, vol 15. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15202-4_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15202-4_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-15201-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-15202-4
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)