10 Witty YA Novels Full Of Caustic Humor

Funny Young Adult Novels: Our 10 Picks

8 Great Comedic Films:

1. Airplane! (1980)
2. Young Frankenstein (1974)
3. Mean Girls (2004)
4. Ghostbusters (1984)
5. Legally Blonde (2001)
6. The Big Lebowski (1998)
7. Men in Black (1997)
8. The Jerk (1979)

Why Do We Laugh?

In Depth

A healthy dose of humor is always helpful in dealing with the many ups and downs of adolescence. The young adult novels included here embrace this philosophy with an especially sardonic bite. For teens looking to laugh while nodding along in recognition, here, in no particular order, are ten Y.A. books bursting with caustic wit.

At #1 is "#Famous" by Jilly Gagnon. Rachel thinks the silly picture she posted on social media of popular boy Kyle is a joke that no one will notice, but the internet works in mysterious ways. When the photo goes viral and creates a sensation in and beyond their school, Kyle becomes an online celebrity. Rachel, on the other hand, receives only derision. Now the boy she accidentally made famous is asking her out on television. Can their relationship withstand all the media attention?

For #2 we get "The Symptoms of My Insanity" by Mindy Raf. Teenage life is complicated enough, but it's truly hectic when you're a hypochondriac worried about everything that could go wrong. With a chest that won't seem to stop getting bigger, a mom with a rare illness, and a friend whose behavior she no longer recognizes, that's the case for Izzy. What this nervous high school girl doesn't realize is that life's trickiest obstacles are yet to come.

With a chest that won't seem to stop getting bigger, a mom with a rare illness, and a friend whose behavior she no longer recognizes, that's the case for Izzy.

Coming in at #3 is "Finding Ruby Starling" by Karen Rivers. A digital-era version of "The Parent Trap" written in e-mails, blog posts, and screenplays, this clever novel follows two girls who find that they are estranged twins. Ruth Quayle, an outgoing American, determines this after she comes across a picture online of Ruby Starling, a girl with her likeness who shares the same birthday. Ruby, an introverted Brit, is initially suspicious when she gets messages from Ruth. But as the sisters uncover the circumstances around their births and separation, they learn how much they need each other in their lives.

At #4 we find 'My Invented Life' by Lauren Bjorkman. Sisters and best friends Roz and Eva have always been super close even when they were at their most competitive. Everything changes however when Eva suddenly decides to cut her sister out of her life. Feisty drama geek Roz who's gunning for the lead role in their school's production of 'As You Like It' is incensed. When she finds possible evidence that her sibling might be a lesbian the drama between the girls becomes humorously Shakespearean.

Showing up at #5 is "My Dating Disasters Diary" by Liz Rettig. In the third installment in the "Diaries of Kelly Ann," the titular fourteen-year-old tomboy relates her chaotic dating adventures. At first, she's more interested in playing soccer with the boys than going out with them. But when Kelly Ann starts to become jealous of her peers for having boyfriends, she decides to take her own stab at wooing the opposite sex. Hilarity and confusion ensue as she navigates the rocky terrain of early love.

At first, she's more interested in playing soccer with the boys than going out with them.

For #6 we come to "The Things That Will Not Stand" by Michael Gerard Bauer. During a college visit day, Sebastian meets the beguiling Frida, who holds his attention with her fanciful stories. Despite her winningly spunky personality, however, the tales she tells about her past don't seem to add up. As the day transpires and Sebastian tries to get to know the real Frida, both young students will have to decide how much they're comfortable sharing with one another.

At #7 is "Awkward" by Marni Bates. Mackenzie, one of her school's designated "Invisibles," is generally good at avoiding attention. Unfortunately, she's just attracted a whole lot of it. When an accident with a football player ends with her giving him horribly awkward mouth-to-mouth, the whole incident is caught on video. Soon enough, Mackenzie is a YouTube phenomenon being chased by musicians and paparazzi, thrust into a limelight that changes her status from a nobody to a sought-after star.

For #8 we get "Me Being Me Is Exactly as Insane as You Being You" by Todd Hasak-Lowy. Told entirely in list format, Hasak-Lowy's book gives readers a window into the inner thoughts of teen Darren, who's grappling with the difficult events in his life. In addition to the divorce of his parents, this year has seen his brother Nate leaving for college and his best friend moving away. There's also a girl he's into, who seems to have disappeared. Darren is learning how complicated being a teenager can be, one list at a time.

In addition to the divorce of his parents, this year has seen his brother Nate leaving for college and his best friend moving away.

Arriving at #9 is "The Revenge Artist" by Philip Siegel. Becca used to specialize in breaking up unhealthy relationships, but now she's all about bringing new couples together. She's even done this for herself, resulting in a fling with the cute, funny Fred Teplitzky. But romantic harmony doesn't last for long. When a vengeful student shows up intent on splitting apart the relationships Becca has created, including her own, the former "break-up artist" is forced to use her cunning to outfox her rival.

Finally, coming in at #10 is "Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here" by Anna Breslaw. Scarlett Epstein is a nobody at her school, but on the internet she enjoys some renown among her fanfiction community. When the T.V. show that was the subject of her fandom is canceled, and her crush ditches her for the popular kids, Scarlett copes the only way she knows how: by going online. But as she posts stories using students from her school as inspiration, this habitual wallflower risks becoming all-too well known by her peers.