How to write a laugh-out-loud story by Steven Butler

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How to write a laugh-out-loud funny story

Dog Diaries: Dinosaur Disaster!

The sixth book in the hilarious Dog Diaries series featuring Rafe Khatchadorian's pet pooch, Junior

'A perfect story to tickle the funny bone of any young reader!' MEGAN RIX 
 
I have something very IM-PAW-TANT to tell you... 
 
I was with my mutt mates in the dog park when we saw something MONSTROUS through the trees...I recognized it straight away. It was a huge DINO-ROAR! 
 
Now, I know what you're thinking - dino-roars don't exist anymore, right? WRONG. I spotted one in the flesh, well in the bone...And it smelt tail-waggingly tasty! 
 
I followed its sniff-a-licious scent to the BIGGEST building I've ever seen, and the smells coming from inside were the most dusty, moldy, oldy, dirt-lectable whiffs I've ever wrapped my snout around. 
 
I don't know what the humongous building is, but what I do know is that I just HAVE to get inside. It will be the greatest challenge my pooch pack have ever faced!

Steven Butler (Author) Steven is the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award-winning author of The Nothing to See Here Hotel as well as The Diary of Dennis the Menace series and The Wrong Pong series, which was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. He's also an actor, dancer and trained aerialist as well as a keen observer of trolls and their disgusting habits. His primary school headmaster was the fantastically funny author Jeremy Strong. Steven lives in London. James Patterson (Author) JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. Among his creations are some of the world's most popular series including Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett and the Private novels. He has written many other number one bestsellers including collaborations with President Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, stand-alone thrillers and non-fiction. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed adult author in UK libraries for the past fourteen years in a row. He lives in Florida with his family.

I have something very IM-PAW-TANT to tell you... 
 
I was with my mutt mates in the dog park when we saw something MONSTROUS through the trees...I recognized it straight away. It was a huge DINO-ROAR! 
 
Now, I know what you're thinking - dino-roars don't exist anymore, right? WRONG. I spotted one in the flesh, well in the bone...And it smelt tail-waggingly tasty! 
 
I followed its sniff-a-licious scent to the BIGGEST building I've ever seen, and the smells coming from inside were the most dusty, moldy, oldy, dirt-lectable whiffs I've ever wrapped my snout around. 
 
I don't know what the humongous building is, but what I do know is that I just HAVE to get inside. It will be the greatest challenge my pooch pack have ever faced!

Dog Diaries: Camping Chaos!

The fifth book in the hilarious Dog Diaries series featuring Rafe Khatchadorian's pet pooch, Junior

'A perfect story to tickle the funny bone of any young reader!' MEGAN RIX 
 
I can’t wait to get to the most magical place in the world—THE WOODS! Just imagine all the adventures… 
 
· Doggy-paddling in the lake 
· Barking at raccoons 
· And my quest to find the greatest stick in the universe! 
 
But all my best plans are ruined when Iona Stricker—the most miserable, cruel, and obedience-loving human you could ever hope not to meet—shows up, making any fun impossible. 
 
Until… a canine criminal, escaped from POOCH PRISON, sneaks into the camp and changes everything! 
 
This vacation might be fun after all!

Dog Diaries: Curse of the Mystery Mutt

In the fourth book in the hilarious Dog Diaries series, it's Halloween and Junior sets out to uncover the identity of a mystery mutt who is terrorising the town

'A perfect story to tickle the funny bone of any young reader!' MEGAN RIX 
 
AAAAAAAAAAAGH! 
 
Something terrible is going on, my person-pal! Something so DREADFUL, it’s enough to curl your tail with TERROR (if you have one, of course)... 
 
A spine-jangling HOWLING has been heard in the middle of the night, favorite toys have been STOLEN, trash bags have been SHREDDED and all the best pee-spots have been RE-SCENTED! 
 
It must have something to do with the NIGHT OF THE HOWLY WIENER, which is only days away… 
 
Can I find the evil mastermind who is TERRIER-izing our town?!

Dog Diaries: Mission Impawsible

The third book in the hilarious illustrated series Dog Diaries, featuring Rafe Khatchadorian's pet pooch, Junior

Steven Butler (Author) Steven is the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award-winning author of The Nothing to See Here Hotel as well as The Diary of Dennis the Menace series and The Wrong Pong series, which was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. He's also an actor, dancer and trained aerialist as well as a keen observer of trolls and their disgusting habits. His primary school headmaster was the fantastically funny author Jeremy Strong. Steven lives in London. James Patterson (Author) JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. Among his creations are some of the world's most popular series including Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett and the Private novels. He has written many other number one bestsellers including collaborations with President Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, stand-alone thrillers and non-fiction. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed adult author in UK libraries for the past fourteen years in a row. He lives in Florida with his family. Richard Watson (Illustrator) Richard Watson is an illustrator based in North Lincolnshire and has been working on children's books since graduating from the University of Lincoln in 2003 with a degree in illustration. 
 
 His work is mainly produced digitally and a few of his other interests include cinema, wildlife and music.

'A perfect story to tickle the funny bone of any young reader!' MEGAN RIX 
 
You'll never guess what, my person-pal... 
 
I'M GOING TO HOLLYWOOD! 
 
And, what's even better? All my best mutt-mates are coming with me! But my dreams of being talent-spotted while walking down streets paved with sausage meat don't quite come true... 
 
And when the vacation takes a VERY unexpected turn, I'll need to find a way to escape a LIVING NIGHTMARE and get us all home!

Dog Diaries: Happy Howlidays!

Follow-up to the hilarious illustrated novel Dog Diaries, featuring Rafe Khatchadorian's pet pooch, Junior

The book tunes in perfectly to children's sense of humour and is pretty well guaranteed to have them giggling throughout, at both the story and Richard Watson's entertaining illustrations. Great fun, drawing the reader in right from the start.

Irrepressible young dog Junior is back with a dog's-eye-view of Christmas, or as he knows it, Crisp-Mouth ... His enthusiasm knows no bounds, and it proves a real struggle to be good, especially as Junior consistently gets things WRONG ... Junior's breathless narrative style and Richard Watson's illustrations make this super-readable, and newly confident readers will love this funny story and its bouncy, endlessly optimistic narrator.

'A perfect story to tickle the funny bone of any young reader!' MEGAN RIX 
 
Hello, my furless friend! 
 
Are you ready for a festive adventure? 
 
Join me, Junior Catch-A-Doggy-Bone, and my doggy pals on the poochiest, most barktastic journey through the HOWLIDAY SEASON. 
 
We’ll learn all about FANGS GIVING, CRISP-MOUTH and the mysterious SAINT LICK. 
 
Find out why people called Carol come and sing outside the front door. 
 
And why trees suddenly appear inside your kennel!

Dog Diaries

A hilarious illustrated novel from the bestselling author of the Middle School series

A perfect story to tickle the funny bone of any young reader!

Lively and funny, these illustrated chaotic canine capers will keep young readers entertained and eagerly anticipating further instalments of Junior’s diaries.

Narrated at breathless speed by super-excited puppy Junior, this new series is spot-on for newly confident readers ... Junior's enthusiasm for life is catching, and it's impossible not to be completely caught up in his descriptions of his daily activities ... Great fun, and super-readable too.

Got a lot of laughs from our testers, two of whom are obsessed with dogs, so they particularly loved it. It tells the story from a dog’s point of view and has plenty of illustrations for kids to enjoy ... A popular choice.

'A perfect story to tickle the funny bone of any young reader!' Megan Rix 
 
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! 
 
I’ve been waiting ages to tell my story, and now it’s finally happening! 
 
Being Rafe’s dog isn’t always easy, but it is always EXCITING! 
 
I’ve got so much to tell you about: 
 
The amazing Catch-A-Doggy-Bone kennel 
My favorite places for hiding snacks 
And my ultimate nemesis – THE VACUUM CLEANER! 
 
All the most important parts of a dog’s life.

Steven Butler

James Patterson

The circus has come to town! 
 
 I've never been to a real live circus before, but I know it will be the best thing EVER! I've heard all about circus things from Mama Mange and, WOW, does she have some stories! 
 
 I can't wait until opening night. It all looks so AMAZING! Well, apart from those scary man-monsters with green hair and red noses... Hopefully I can steer clear of them... 
 
 With my whole pooch pack alongside me - and, of course, my favorite pet human, RUFF! - what could possibly go wrong...?

Steven Butler

Books by Steven Butler

Series by Steven Butler

Dog Diaries7 Books

The Wrong Pong4 Books

Articles featuring Steven Butler

How to write a laugh-out-loud funny story

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