Funny Christian Fiction for Kids
What if your middle school year started with a faceplant into the front doors—and only got crazier from there?
What if the worst kids from elementary school showed up at your new middle school—and had backup?
What if being average was actually your superpower?
Welcome to The Sword and Story Podcast—where we help Christian families find exciting, faith-filled books for their boys.
Our mission is to raise strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God. Join us on a quest to discover stories that inspire our boys to grow into godly young men.
I’m your host, Laurie Christine. I’m an author, bible teacher, wife, and mom to four wild, wonderful, boys. I’m the author of the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, adventure-packed biblical fiction and devotions for middle-grade boys.
Our guest author today is Bob Smiley.
Bob Smiley is a Christian comedian and the creator of “The Adventures of Average Boy,” a series featured in Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse magazine. Bob is also the host of the Average Boy podcast and author of 4 Average Boy books.
Average Boy’s Above Average Year
The Average Boy series features humorous writing and whimsical illustrations to help readers embrace the idea that life isn’t always about being the smartest, most athletic, or best-looking kid in the neighborhood. Faith, family, and friends are far more valuable than being perceived as cool.
Someday, when “Average Boy” Bob Smiley looks back on his first year of middle school, he’ll probably agree that it was an above-average year. But it sure doesn’t start out easy. From the moment Average Boy smacks his face into the big glass doors of his new school, he realizes that the year is going to include some big challenges.
And big kids, too. Donny―the biggest thorn in everyone’s side back in elementary school―is not going to stand by and let AB have an easy year. But Bob has learned most of his tricks, and he’s not as bad as the Terrible Threesome, anyway. Also, AB has a plan to solve that problem. Will it help him avoid the trouble caused by the three bullies? Can he survive the trials of sixth grade while also standing up for God to win the youth group contest? It won’t be easy, but AB is up to the challenge!
Enjoy the signature humor of Christian comedian Bob Smiley. Boys and girls, ages 8 to 12, love the funny stories as they learn important biblical lessons packed into every adventure.
More Funny Christian Fiction for Kids by Bob Smiley
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW
Average Boy by Bob Smiley
Laurie Christine
What if your middle school year started with a face plant into the front doors and only got crazier from there? What if the worst kids from elementary school showed up at your new middle school and had backup? What if being average was actually your superpower?
Welcome to the Sword and Story podcast, where we help Christian families find exciting, faith-filled books for their boys.
Boys and girls are different. Boys have a unique God-given desire for adventures and battles. They want to fight enemies and slay dragons. Our mission is to raise strong, courageous warriors for the kingdom of God. Join us on a quest to discover stories that inspire our boys to grow into godly young men.
I’m your host, Laurie Christine. I’m an author, Bible teacher, wife, and mom to four wild, wonderful boys. I’m the author of the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, adventure-packed biblical fiction and devotions for eight to twelve-year-old boys.
Our guest author today is Bob Smiley. Bob Smiley is a Christian comedian and the creator of The Adventures of Average Boy, a series featured in Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Magazine. Bob is also the host of the Average Boy podcast and the author of four Average Boy books.
Bob, welcome to the Sword and Story podcast.
Bob Smiley
Thank you. First of all, I didn’t know you had four boys. I have five boys. So my question for you is: why are we podcasting and not napping when we have a chance? It is a loud and exciting house. Anytime we can get a nap in is appreciated. I appreciate you having me on your podcast to talk when you could be napping.
Laurie Christine
You are very welcome. I’m thankful to have some peace and quiet. My husband has the boys doing something. I’m not sure what they’re doing right now, but as long as it stays quiet, we’ll be okay.
Bob Smiley
You actually reminded me of a story of how different boys and girls are. When we first moved back to Texas, we had our three boys at the time, and we made best friends with somebody that had girls the exact same ages as our three boys.
One day I was in the living room at their house, and I was watching my oldest and their oldest play. My oldest, Coulter, rolled a Nerf ball across the room. Their daughter, who was about five, was the same age. It just barely hit her ankle. It was a Nerf ball, and he just rolled it. She looked down at it and started crying.
It was so foreign to have a kid crying because my boys are rough and tumble. Coulter looked up at me like, “What is happening?” She was crying in front of this plate glass window. She turned and caught a reflection, stopped crying for a second, put her hand up near her mouth—very dramatic—and then started wailing.
I was like, “Hang on. You paused and you saw your reflection.” That’s when I thought, boys and girls are completely different. It didn’t hurt her, but it was a moment to have drama. It was funny and sweet, but it was the best example of how boys and girls are different. If Coulter had done that to one of his brothers, his brothers would have picked up the ball and thrown it back at his head.
Laurie Christine
My goodness. For sure. Boys are definitely a little bit more physical in their reactions. We get a lot of thrown balls, and it often escalates. One person pokes them, the next person throws something soft, then something hard, then something bigger. It’s an exponential battle that rises.
Bob Smiley
We do not allow practical jokes in our house because it keeps escalating until the police show up and we’re like, “Yeah, you got him, but now we have to go to court.” We do not allow that.
For a while, there was a trend at the Smiley household. It doesn’t matter who started it, but it was me. It was sneaking up and jumping out and scaring each other. My wife was not part of it, and everybody knew you don’t do that to her.
It started escalating to where kids would hide in the car if I was headed to the airport, and they thought that was funny. I said, “Okay, we’ve got to add that to the no-prank rule.” Having boys, you definitely have to have a few different rules than you do with a mixed household.
Laurie Christine
For sure. Rules you never would have thought you would have to make. Like, “No, you may not climb out the window onto the roof.” And they say, “Well, you didn’t tell us, Mom. You didn’t say not to do that, so we figured it would be okay.” And I’m like, “No. Now we have a new rule.”
Bob Smiley
I actually had to say, “Don’t lick the dog.” I had to say that. Now in his defense, we have a chocolate lab, so he just wanted to see why it was named that. But these things we have to say as parents that I never thought I would have to say are pretty crazy.
Laurie Christine
Don’t blow up your brother. Don’t build a fire in the living room. All the things.
I understand a lot of the content in your books comes from experiences you had as a child, or things that happened while you were raising your boys. Can you share an instance—or a few instances—you drew from raising boys that made it into the Average Boy books?
Bob Smiley
Pretty much Average Boy is me, but a modern-day version of me. He’s growing up in a very small town in Texas, which I grew up in—a town with 281 people. He’s growing up in Era, Texas, which is where I grew up.
Since I’ve been writing it for over 20 years—the article in Clubhouse Magazine, and now the podcast for families to listen to together—I have told almost every story that happened to me when I was a kid. So now I’m really counting on my kids living an adventurous lifestyle to give me material.
The best example is the very first Average Boy book. We did it with funny stories, but we had devotion questions at the end of each chapter, so it was a comedy/devotion book. It was the first book I’d ever written. I couldn’t believe how fast I wrote it, mainly because I was writing stories from my childhood.
I got to the very end—the last chapter—and I had written it so fast. Then I just didn’t have anything. I hadn’t thought through what the last chapter would be. My office was upstairs, it was during a rainstorm, and I had finished the next-to-last chapter. I paused and said, “I don’t know how to finish this book.”
I looked out the window. At the time I had three boys. They had made a rope and were swinging off a tree into these deep ditches, landing in rushing water. My middle one let go of the rope, flung out into the ditch, landed, and came up holding a turtle. It was a box turtle. It wasn’t even a water turtle.
He ended up saving that turtle’s life because it got caught in the field. The only time I’ve ever had writer’s block was that moment, and it lasted about a minute and a half. I looked out the window, and my boys gave me the perfect way to end the book.
People ask me as a comedian, because I talk a lot about my kids in my shows, “Do your kids care? Is it embarrassing for them?” I know other comics whose kids don’t want to be talked about, but my kids love being talked about on stage. They’ll do something and stop and go, “Hey, do you think that’ll make a good bit?” They’re already thinking through it.
Every month we get the Clubhouse Magazine, and I don’t tell them what I wrote about. They can’t wait to open it and see if something that happened three months ago is now in print. They loved it until they found out about royalties. Then we had a discussion: you’ve got a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on the table. That’s your royalty. So keep writing for me.
Laurie Christine
That’s right. You don’t owe them anything. You brought them into the world. That’s amazing. I can imagine looking out the door and thinking, “There’s some content right there.” I love that your kids are anticipating it. I wonder if they have competitions like, “Let’s see if we can get Dad to include this.”
Bob Smiley
I did have to tell them at one point—this was about 10 years ago—“Look, you’re not Average Boy. So you don’t need to be thinking of things. Just live your life, have fun, but don’t be thinking of things that might end up in one of the books.”
Laurie Christine
That’s funny. What are the ages of your boys right now?
Bob Smiley
We have a huge span. We have a 14-year-old, an 18-year-old, a 19-year-old who’s about to be 20, a 21-year-old about to be 22, and our oldest is 24.
The house is getting quieter, but all our boys are either in college, so they’re home, or our oldest just moved 1.3 miles from our house. We call him Laundry Claus because he comes in every week with a big bag that looks like it’s full of toys, but it’s packed full of laundry.
Even though our kids are older and supposed to be out of the house, they never really are. Secretly, we love that, but if I do a podcast interview, I’m not going to say that.
Laurie Christine
I hope my boys are always coming back. I hope they feel welcome, that they don’t move too far away, and that they always know they can come do laundry, raid the refrigerator, and all of those things.
Bob Smiley
It helps keep the attention off me for my wife. When two of ours went off to Texas A&M, I noticed I was getting more attention about not folding towels right. I was like, “We need to get these boys back.”
Laurie Christine
Right. You can’t blame it on them. There’s nobody left to blame.
I want to talk more about your books. It’s The Adventures of Average Boy. Here’s a funny story: the main character in your books is Average Boy, and his name is Bob Smiley. Like you said, he was based on you as a boy.
I had interviewed Jesse Florea on my old podcast, Redeeming the Chaos, last year. We were talking about the Go Bible, and he suggested, “You should have Bob Smiley on your show.” He said you’d be a great guest. I had read some of the Average Boy books, and my first thought was, “Wait, Bob’s a real person? I thought he was just a character in the books.” I didn’t know you were real.
Bob Smiley
It’s funny because the official Average Boy podcast is exploding. Parents are finding out we keep it short enough that they can listen in the car on the way to church. Kids are enthralled.
I do the voice of Average Boy because evidently I have a junior high voice. Now that the podcast is doing so well, families come to my comedy shows, and the kids don’t know I do stand-up. They just know me from Average Boy.
I’ll walk out on stage and as soon as I start talking, they hear my voice and you can see the realization: “That’s Average Boy.” It’s interesting. “I didn’t know Average Boy could grow a beard.” I can’t, but one day I hope to.
Another thing I didn’t count on: people from my small hometown that I lost track of. Now their kids are reading Average Boy stories. They DM me saying, “I was there when you got stuck on the flagpole.” They know the story and now they’re reading about it in the books.
Laurie Christine
That’s so fun. So you’ve got several different things going on with Average Boy. You’ve got stories in Clubhouse. Were those the original Average Boy stories?
Bob Smiley
Yes. This makes me sound super old, but when my first comedy CD came out—I’ll pause while your listeners look up what a CD is—Jesse, who has worked at Focus on the Family forever, got my CD.
At the time I was doing a lot of youth groups, so my show was centered around comedy for kids. Jesse contacted me and said, “I really love your stuff. I think it’s good for kids. Have you ever thought about writing a humor article? We’ve got this magazine for middle school boys.”
So I wrote a story about going back to school and getting a really bad haircut the day before. The story printed, and kids started writing in saying, “Can Average Boy write another article?” I called him Average Boy because I didn’t know what to call him. I was kind of the average kid.
I was a Christian all through my life, and I always wanted to do something big and bold for God, but I was average at everything. So I called the character Average Boy. That’s how it started in Clubhouse Magazine, and then it exploded.
Laurie Christine
Now you have two devotion books and two middle grade novels, plus the podcast. Tell us about the devotion books. Those came out first before the middle grade books, right?
Bob Smiley
That is correct. Clubhouse was getting so much feedback that they put Average Boy on the cover and really put energy into it. They approached me about doing a book.
I’m a Christian comedian. I got into comedy because I want to talk about Jesus. I found that if I can make people laugh, it’s like giving them a gift. Anytime you get a gift, you’re more receptive to whatever else that person wants to give you. I want people to laugh, but more importantly, I want to encourage them.
When they approached me about a book, I realized this is another opportunity. I can get kids reading funny stories, and I can also get good biblical teaching or encouragement to these children. The outside world is competing for their eyes and hearts, so we wanted a tool for parents: a book that is funny, gets them to read, and helps keep kids guarded and on the right track.
For the first two books, we decided to have devotion questions at the end of each chapter so kids can think and apply. One chapter might be about picking the right friends. Average Boy gets asked to do something. He knows it’s wrong, but he wants the cool kids to like him. Then he realizes that picking friends who have your best interest at heart is important. Then devotion questions ask, “Who are your friends? What are the good qualities?” and things like that.
Those did really well. For the third ones, I had so many kids saying, “Your books are like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. They’re really funny.” So we decided for the next two to just make chapter books and make them as funny as we can. But throughout it, there are still themes.
You mentioned Average Boy’s Above Average Year. It’s all about him going to a new school and dealing with bullies. It’s a very funny book with lots of adventures and silly situations. Parents tell me it helped their kid deal with bullies—how Average Boy maneuvered around it or dealt with it head on. We have the two devotion books and two chapter books, and all four encourage kids where they’re at and what they’re dealing with.
Laurie Christine
We’ve been reading one of the devotion books as a family, and it’s great. It’s funny, and I love the layers of humor. There’s humor the kids think is hilarious, and humor only my husband thinks is hilarious—the dad humor.
Bob Smiley
I grew up watching two things that shaped my comedy mind: the Muppets and Looney Tunes. They were hilarious for kids and hilarious for adults.
Saturday morning, my dad and I would be watching Looney Tunes. I’d be laughing, and then my dad would laugh at something and I’d think, “I don’t get it.” Now I own all the Looney Tunes stuff, and I can remember the times my dad laughed, and now I laugh because I’m a dad.
Jesse and I did talk about that. Especially on the podcast, we want it funny for kids, but we also know parents are listening too. So we put in some jokes that might fly over kids’ heads, but keep parents in it. Jesse is the editor, so he puts in editing and grammar corrections, and we do puns off that—stuff parents like.
Laurie Christine
What would you say makes Average Boy relatable to an average boy who’s reading the books?
Bob Smiley
Especially now with social media making people feel like their life doesn’t live up to everyone else’s, it’s easy to compare. My youngest is into basketball. He’s watching clips of kids all over the country who’ve been trained, and sometimes he gets down. I tell him, “You’re really good at basketball. You can’t compare yourself to everybody else.”
Average Boy is average. He wants to try stuff. He tries sports. He’s constantly doing things. Most of the time he fails, but even in failure he learns something or it strengthens him. He knows the only goal in life is to tell people about Jesus. Even if he fails, he might get an opportunity to do the right thing, invite somebody to church, or something like that.
A lot of boys want to be the best. These books let them know it’s okay to be average at something. Just enjoy it. Just try it. If you’re not the best, most people aren’t. The fact that you tried is the win.
Laurie Christine
With my boys, they watch YouTubers and think they have to live up to that level. They’re always trying to be the best, even among themselves. It’s the fastest runner, the most hair—stupid things. “I can pick the most boogers out of my nose in five minutes.” Whatever it is, they’re trying to be the best at something.
So I think that’s a good lesson: it’s okay to be average. You’re not going to be the best at almost anything. There’s always someone better. And if you do become the best, then you’ll be bored because there’s nothing left.
Bob Smiley
Then what else is there? I think we’re built to strive to something. If you are the best, what are you striving towards? My son Dylan will want me to point out he is the best at booger picking.
My wife teaches at a private Christian school, so our youngest goes there. Keeping up with the Joneses—even spring break—it’s easy to feel like you’re not getting everything in life. A good message is: if you’re an average boy, be the best average boy you can be. That’s where contentment comes in. Know God loves you and has a unique plan for your life. It won’t look like everyone else’s.
Laurie Christine
Learning contentment is important and not having a sense of entitlement. A lot of kids think they deserve more, deserve the best, deserve to be the best, deserve the best things. Learning contentment and being okay with being average is important. It’s fabulous to have a role model like that in a book, and it’s also super fun and funny. It’s not like you’re preaching at the kids.
Bob Smiley
I’m going to jump in. In the books, there are lots of side characters. One is a kid named Richie, and his parents are filthy rich. So he has everything. The first time Average Boy goes over there, he’s jealous. And throughout one of the books, Average Boy talks to Richie and Richie makes the point: “I have all these things, but I would rather my dad play catch with me in the yard.”
You think you’ll be fulfilled with all those things, but it comes down to strong friendships and good relationships with your parents. It’s not overly preachy, but kids glean the messages through the humor.
Laurie Christine
One question I always ask my guests is: how can your book help our boys become strong, courageous warriors for the kingdom of God? What are the themes in the Average Boy books that teach our kids to grow up to be godly members of God’s kingdom?
Bob Smiley
Average Boy is constantly attempting new things. When he fails, or even when he succeeds, he always goes back to: what is my real purpose in life? Why am I breathing?
Average Boy knows his purpose is to honor God and draw others closer to Him. That is the main message throughout. Anything else is extra. That’s a great message for young boys as they try stuff or get jealous of what others have. They need to go back to: what is my purpose in life? That’s good for adults too.
Laurie Christine
Do you have any more books planned in the Average Boy adventure series?
Bob Smiley
Yes. This will sound braggadocious, but I’m honored to say the last two books hit number one on Amazon in their category. The books have been selling like crazy. I love that kids are picking up a book, not a tablet, and they’re reading and telling their friends.
This last book, Average Boy’s Above Average Summer, did so well that Focus said, “If you want to start working on the fifth book, go ahead.” So yes, I’ve started working on the fifth one. Average Boy is about to go to a winter camp and get into some adventures.
Laurie Christine
Very fun. We’re covering the scope of the year: Above Average Year, Above Average Summer, and now winter camp. I can’t wait to see what kind of adventures he gets into.
I’m going to read the back cover of Average Boy’s Above Average Year. Here’s what it says:
“Average Boy series features humorous writing and whimsical illustrations to help readers embrace the idea that life isn’t always about being the smartest, most athletic, or best-looking kid in the neighborhood. Faith, family, and friends are far more valuable than being perceived as cool. Someday, when Average Boy Bob Smiley looks back on his first year of middle school, he’ll probably agree that it was an above-average year.
But it sure doesn’t start out easy. From the moment Average Boy smacks his face into the big glass doors of his new school, he realizes that the year is going to include some big challenges. And big kids, too. Donnie, the biggest thorn in everyone’s side back in elementary school, is not going to stand by and let AB have an easy year. But Bob has learned most of his tricks. And he’s not as bad as the terrible threesome anyway.
Also, AB has a plan to solve that problem. Will it help him avoid the trouble caused by the three bullies? Can he survive the trials of sixth grade while also standing up for God to win the youth group contest? It won’t be easy, but AB is up to the challenge. Enjoy the signature humor of Christian comedian Bob Smiley. Kids ages 8 to 12 love the funny stories as they learn important biblical lessons packed into every adventure.”
I’m excited to give these books to my kids. We have read some of the devotional books as a family, and I recently purchased Average Boy’s Above Average Summer. I’m excited to have my boys read it. I love hearing how much it makes kids laugh, which is so fun and so important.
Bob, before we go, I have one last question. First, tell us where we can find the Average Boy books and your podcast.
Bob Smiley
All the books are on Amazon. You can also find them on Focus on the Family. You can find them on my website, bobsmiley.com.
I’m on Instagram and Facebook, and they can keep up with when the next book is coming out. We sometimes do Average Boy collectible stuff. We actually did bobbleheads. We did a contest in Clubhouse one summer where kids wrote as Average Boy and sent their own Average Boy stories in. We gave an Average Boy bobblehead to the winner. Then they sent them, so all my kids got Average Boy bobbleheads, and I have one in my office too. We’ve got some cool stuff.
If they want to follow me on Facebook or Instagram or go to my website, they can keep up with what’s next for Average Boy.
Laurie Christine
Bobbleheads? That’s so fun.
I’ll have links to all of those places in the show notes, plus links to your books. But I do have one question for you. You have five boys in your house. How would you complete this statement: “You know there are boys who live in your house if…”
Bob Smiley
That’s a great question. I’m going to go with: if you know how to, and have replaced, your ceiling fan at least five times. That sums it up.
Laurie Christine
Nice. I can relate. I would add: if you replace your living room furniture five times because the sofa frame broke, or if you have holes in your walls and doors you’ve had to patch.
Bob Smiley
I know how to do drywall now, being an active father. Two months ago, I had to make a rule: you can’t be on the hoverboard while you’re carrying your bowl of ravioli into the living room. It started spinning and it was like a ravioli sprinkler. It went everywhere.
If you have to take your drapes or curtains in to be dry-cleaned, that’s a good one. But we’ve replaced every single ceiling fan in our house because of mishaps.
Laurie Christine
Bob, it has been great having you on the show. We appreciate your humor and your heart for boys. Do you have any final thoughts or encouragement for our listeners?
Bob Smiley
Just go out and be super average. Realize that God has a plan and a path for you, and there’s a lot of adventure to be had.
Laurie Christine
Thanks so much for being on the show with us today.
Bob Smiley
Absolutely. Thanks for having me.
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