Sometimes, we could all use a good laugh. When we can’t get one of those, though, there are dad jokes. A term originally coined in a 1987 issue of The Gettysburg Times, the idea of the dad joke goes back to the beginning of civilization. We’ve always had a soft spot for puns, plays on words, and anything that will get a rise out of our audience, even if that rise is a groan or a slap to the forehead.
While these so-bad-they’re-good (or maybe just bad) jokes are associated with dads using them to embarrass their kids, you don’t have to be a dad to enjoy a dad joke. People from all walks of life love puns and wordplay and, believe it or not, everyone likes to be a little embarrassed (or a little embarrassing) now and again.
So, why not arm yourself with some new joke ammunition by picking up one of these 8 books that are all packed to the gills with jokes and games? From jokes for new dads to competitive joke telling where the first person to laugh loses, these books make perfect gifts for the dads in your life, or anyone who loves to laugh (or groan).
A Daily Dose of Dad Jokes
“This is the funniest book I have ever touched,” raves CEO and founder of Life of Dad, Tommy Riles. With this exhaustive compendium of 365 joke-a-day side-splitters, including jokes from famous dads (both real and fictional) like Tim Allen and Homer Simpson, you’ll never be at a loss for a wisecrack or two. In fact, according to Doug French, co-founder of the Dad 2.0 Summit, this book contains “365 days’ worth of weapons-grade pun-tonium,” all organized by month for corny jokes that are always in season!
Dad Jokes: Over 600 of the Best (Worst) Jokes Around and Perfect Father's Day Gift! (World's Best Dad Jokes Collection)
“What’s the difference between a bad joke and a dad joke? The first letter.” In this USA Today bestseller, father of five Jimmy Niro presents more than 600 of the best (and therefore worst) dad jokes imaginable.
From clever quips to puns and plays on words to simple acts of taking things too literally, there’s every kind of groan-worthy dad joke you can think of contained between the pages of this slim volume, which is perfect for the dad in your life – or for anyone who just loves a good (bad) joke.
Born to Pun
When it comes to joke, puns get probably the least respect of any form this side of the humble “knock knock joke” – which makes them perfect fodder for dad jokes. But it isn’t just dads who will get a kick out of Gordon Nagai’s book of more than 1,400 puns.
Word nerds and goofballs of all sorts will find something to love in Nagai’s collection of wordplay, organized by subjects including Work, School, the Arts, and more. Despite the vast quantity of jokes crammed into these pages, Nagai manages to weave in structure as well, with recurring motifs that become inside jokes themselves.
Dad Jokes
From the creators of the enormously popular Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader series (with more than 16 million books in print), this collection of cringe-worthy dad jokes assembled by the editors of Portable Press is sure to be a hit with anyone who loves good humor – and especially with anyone who loves bad humor!
Subtitled “The Punniest Joke Book Ever,” this indispensable collection of knee-slapping “wisdom” is a perfect gift for dads everywhere, or anyone who appreciates the crafting of a good (bad) joke.
Bad Dad Jokes
Sure, there are bad jokes in Bart King’s tribute to the form – what kind of dad joke book would it be if there weren’t? But there’s also much more, including an accessible history of the “dad joke,” in this “hilarious and educational book.”
In fact, Daily Mom raves that, “You won’t just find a few great lines to cause a laugh but you’ll also get an in-depth look at the foundations of the dad joke and even how to nail it in your delivery in any crowd!” What could be better?
The Don't Laugh Challenge Dad vs. Kid Edition
When it comes to joke books, The Don’t Laugh Challenge is a different beast altogether. Rather than a collection of jokes for you to read on your own, The Don’t Laugh Challenge presents a game for two players.
Each side tells jokes and wacky stories, and acts out bizarre scenarios, in the hopes of getting the other party to laugh. If they do, then they score a point. Then, the other player takes their turn. It’s a perfect opportunity for dads and kids to bond, and a way for the whole family to enjoy some laughs.
Dad Jokes: Hall of Shame
From familiar gags and groaners (“Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.”) to jokes that you may not have heard, the more than 1,000 dad jokes in this perfect gift for any occasion have to be read (or heard) to be believed.
Of course, this isn’t just an assembly of some of the best (worst) jokes ever told, it’s also accompanied by more than 100 illustrations that will help drive home the humor (or lack thereof) and get the point across.
New Dad, Same Bad Jokes: A Dad Joke a Day for That First Sleepless Year
“New dads would be remiss without their own copy of New Dad, Same Bad Jokes,” raves Jackie Schoemaker Holmes, author of Eating Her Young: Poems for the Disruption of Motherhood. “Make sure that the new dad in your life has this collection of essential ‘full-groan’ dad jokes.” Besides a bad joke a day for the baby’s first year, to help new dads get through, this book also provides essential “dad hacks” as well as places where new dads can write down their thoughts and memories of this exciting (and messy) new chapter in their lives.
