An interview and book spotlight in partnership with Carole P. Roman
The Children’s Book Review
Joke books are a staple of the children’s literature genre, but not all joke books are as socially responsible as Giggles Galore. Alongside the jokes (which are hilariously silly), the volume contains a build-your-own joke activity for readers to practice their comedic skills. From well-worn classics to some brand-new giggles, you can find some humor for any situation in this collection.
In this conversation, award-winning author Carole P. Roman shares where she sources her jokes, the importance of using humor kindly and responsibly, and how Giggles Galore offers ways to practice social skills and develop friendships. Read on!
There are so many jokes and joke books out there, including your bestselling Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids—was it challenging to find a new and unique approach?
No, there are a million jokes out there. We are a funny species.
Where do you source your jokes from and how many of the jokes did you write yourself?
Jokes are everywhere. I have a funny family and we are constantly sending each other jokes and humorous stories. My dad used humor to diffuse all sorts of situations. Considering he was a survivor, it’s interesting how much he used a joke to lighten the mood. I contributed many of the jokes, but they were old chestnuts from my youth. I collect jokes from social media, the internet, and my family wherever I can.
Were there any jokes you left out? If so, why?
Some jokes don’t age well. Also, many jokes are inappropriate for today. I had to consider each joke and think whether it was insensitive to people’s feelings about their culture, gender, and other aspects of life. Like everything in life, jokes and people’s feelings about them have evolved with the times.
We love the story at the end about using humor kindly and responsibly. Why did you think this was important to include?
Jokes can be great entertainment, but sometimes they can wound people when taken too far. Take tickling. I watch little kids tickle each other and find I have to stop it before tears show up. Someone always takes it too far. It’s the same with jokes. What seems funny to one person may strike a chord with someone else. You have to be able to read the room.
The book is described in its summary as “the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.” Can you tell us a little bit about how you envision that working? How can readers use the book in this way?
I have a day job. I am the CEO of a large ground transportation company. We use humor to break the ice in meetings. It makes people comfortable and more open to what you are saying. A good joke can make bridges and open lines of communication. Laughter should be used to unite. It humanizes a tense situation. When children learn jokes, they are also discovering facial expressions, different ways to communicate, and sometimes even get a person’s attention.
The sections – food, cats and dogs, and so on – are far from exhaustive – will there be a follow-up volume?
I always have another book in me.
What advice do you have for readers who might like to be comedians?
Practice in front of a mirror. Record it on your phone and watch the delivery, then try it on an audience. My brother did stand up back in the eighties. He worked with Seinfeld, Richard Jenni, and Larry David at Catch a Rising Star in New York City. He is now CFO at one of my companies. He went to college, and even though he wanted to be a comedian, he took accounting, just in case it didn’t work out.
Do you think there are different types of humor?
If so, what is your favorite type of joke and why? I love anything that will catch me unawares and laugh out loud. Last night, I was watching the new Nick Cage movie and laughed many times. It made me forget about everything that I was worried about during the day at work. I get daily cartoons that brighten my day. I love when a person makes you think about something absurd that will change your perspective and bring a smile to your face.
What other joke books can you recommend to readers who love Giggles Galore?
My other joke books: The Big Book of Silly Jokes 1 and 2. However, I think both my Grady Whill and Oh Susannah books are filled with humor. I do love reading Bad Guys and Captain Underpants with my grandkids as well.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because the duck wouldn’t do it.
About the Book
Giggles Galore: Jokes, Riddles, and Fun Facts for Kids of all Ages
Written by Carole P. Roman
Illustrated by Leen Roslan
Ages 5+ 168 Pages
Publisher: Chelshire, Inc. | ISBN-13: 9781950080038
Publisher’s Book Summary: What’s more fun than a rainy afternoon?
A rainy afternoon with Giggles Galore!
Treat yourself and your child to this fun-filled book of jokes, riddles, and exciting bits of information.
Entertain your friends and family with a wide variety of jokes that include funny foods, animal antics, jolly jungles, farcical farms, dizzy dinosaurs, hilarious holidays, and a host of humor from all over our wacky world.
Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book and give a welcome relief from all the giggles.
There’s even a section where budding comedians can learn to create new jokes.
Lastly, join Carole P. Roman’s beloved character, Susanna Maya Logan, for a short story about why we must use humor wisely, or it may not be considered funny by everyone.
A great tool to help a reluctant reader, Giggles Galore is the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.
Buy the Book
About the Author
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children of all ages.
Her best-selling book, The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached number one on Amazon in March of 2020 and has remained in the top 200 books since then.
She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.
Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman.
Roman is the CEO of a global transportation company, as well as a practicing medium.
She also writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and has created an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors.
Writing is her passion and one of her favorite pastimes. Roman reinvents herself frequently, and her family calls her the ‘mother of reinvention.’ She resides on Long Island, near her children and grandchildren.
For more information, visit http://www.caroleproman.com/.
This interview—Carole P. Roman Discusses Giggles Galore: Jokes, Riddles, and Fun Facts for Kids of all Ages—was conducted between Carole P. Roman and Dr. Jen Harrison. For similar books and articles, follow along with our content tagged with Carole P. Roman, Fact Books, Humorous Books, Interactive Books, and Joke Books.
309 Comments
zay loves a good joke and she is into funny stuff. she found a youtube that had fun stuff on it as for the amazon card this would be used ot buy her more books
Looks like such such a cute book that my whole family would enjoy. I can just imagine all the laughs and smiles this would provide! Thanks for doing such a wonderful thing!
Excited about the giveaway and the chance of having the book 😹
We love a funny joke! We wanna read this book.
Sounds like a fun read!
We love silly and funny books! I know we would read this book often! So fun!
A cute book for my grandson.
My son loves jokes and is always looking up fun facts. I can’t think of a more perfect book for him!
A cute book for any bookshelf
think my nephew would love it. He has been big on books lately.
it would be a nice gift for my grand children
I want to win this for my daughter.
Zay loves jokes of all kinds and sometimes she remembers this right and then other times. I am a reader and want to make sure zay learns to love books. so this amazon card would go for books for her
I want to win so I can share this book.
I want to win so I can enjoy this book.
I’d like to win this because I have a hard time finding child-friendly books.
I love giving my niece and nephew new books to read. (Plus the amazon gift card would come in handy for Christmas gifts.)Thank you for giving everyone this fun opportunity!
This book sounds like a fun book.
I want to win so I can enjoy & share this book.
I would like to win this for my daughter because she loves jokes and riddles!
would be a good way to bond
I’d like to win this because I know the kids would love it. It would be a good way to get a couple of kids in the family who aren’t into reading to read. It might be fun for the adults, too.
My granddaughter loves riddles and jokes, she would love this book!
perfect book for my niece and nephew
zay would really enjoy this book a lot and she would get a nice bookcase with the amazon card
Happy to win for my kid
My nephew is the silliest boy I know, he would love this.
This book would be a perfect addition to my grandson’s bookcase.
I would love to win this because my daughter loves Jokes.
love that you write your own jokes and get inspiration from your humorous family
Who wouldn’t want this book to have more giggling around the house!
I don’t know what it is about kids but they finds the silly things so funny. Zay would enjoy this book and share it with her friends Also the amazon card would buy her a lot of books
I want to win this for my son.
This sounds like such a fun book!
I would love to win this so me my granddaughter can enjoy reading it together 💕
My kiddos and I love reading! We love silly and funny jokes and learning interesting facts too! This would be a great book to have!
been working on my nephews speech so we love fun books!
I would love to win for my daughter.
A perfect book for my grandson,
This is a great book for my grandkids.
My niece and nephew would love this book!
One of my kids loved Shel Silverstein and his poems that were silly. The story helped her read more, because she like the funny parts. This story looks equally funny and my grandkids would like to read it to each other.
I would love to win this book for my nephew. This sounds like a fun book.
this is a book that zay would enjoy she loves jokes etc
busy woman! A ceo as well!
This will be such a fun book to have! Lots of laughs and smiles
Would love to win because I think my daughter would love this book.
This book sounds hilarious.
zay loves books like this she is a fan of jokes etc and the amazon card would get her nice bookshelf
I’d love to share this funny book with my niece!
I WANT TO READ THIS TO THE KIDS , I LOVE THE COVER
This seems like a really cute book.
love your outlook on humor. People need to not take life so seriously
I’d like to win this giveaway because I know the book would be a big hit with the kids. Combining jokes with fun facts is a great way to get the reluctant readers in the family to at least read a little. Hopefully, it would encourage them to read even more.
kids have always enjhoyed books like this to them nothing better then a good joke……… zay would love
I would love to win this giveaway for the kids they would love this one.
I would love to win this to put a smile on my daughter’s face with all the fun jokes and riddles.
A funny book that my grandson would enjoy.
I’d like to win this giveaway because the book sounds like so much fun. It’s a sneaky, fun way to get reluctant readers to read. I like that it has a section where kids can make up their own jokes.
This is a book that zay would get a lot of GIGGLES OUT OF!!! And the amazon card would be for a big new bookcase
Hope your week is off to a good start and you’re enjoying a great book.
A hilarious, fun book.
I think my daughter would really enjoy this fun book.
Definitely could use some giggles in my life.
I’d love to win them books and let them buy more books with their winnings or shop for school supplies.
practice social skills and develop friendships. I think this sounds like a good fun learning book and zay would enjoy a lot and the amazon card would get her a new big bookcase
Life is short without giggles!!!!