For gross-out fans only, but they’ll find it funny and full of action.
Once again, the brave mayor of Fartville defends his citizens from would-be invaders in Shah’s (Adult Coloring Book Horror Land: Entrapment, 2017, etc.) middle-grade series installment.
Mayor Fart and his allies Rumbly Fart, Loud Fart, and Quiet Fart join forces to conquer the evil wizard Severe Cold and his Booger army. The Boogers, who “are good people deep down,” accept their defeat and make amends by cleaning up various snot-covered areas. Severe Cold reveals, under threat, that he’s been working with Mayor Burp, who’s still power-hungry despite the treaty that’s allowed Fartville and Burpville to share Gas Mountain peacefully. Mayor Burps is supposed to be in jail, but Mayor Fart learns, upon returning to Fartville, that he’s mysteriously escaped. An inspection reveals a strange hole in the cell floor that swells and turns into a Pimple. More follow, which leads to messy, smelly clashes between Pimples, Farts, and Boogers. Then Mayor Burp arrives, riding a huge Pimple, and announces his takeover plans. But when he calls the Pimples disgusting, they take offense and decide that maybe they should just take over Fartville themselves. Mayor Fart devises a bold plan to save the day by raiding the old Fart Armory, which is now a museum. Shah again engages in the nonstop, deliberately disgusting humor that’s a hallmark of this series, which won’t be to every reader’s taste. A slightly more mature style of humor is seen in occasional pop-culture references, though, such as a nod to the 1983 movie Scarface: “I guess I’ll just have to conjure another brainwashing spell. Say hello to my little friend,” snarls Severe Cold. Some may also find it a little unfair to put disfiguring acne in the same category as farts, burps, and boogers, giving this book a slightly mean undertone, considering that the book’s older middle-school audience may be afflicted: “Yo, Pimple Cyst. Quick! Go in like you’re hiding under the skin of a gross Fart teen,” encourages one fighter.
For gross-out fans only, but they’ll find it funny and full of action.Pub Date: May 6, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943684-56-4
Page Count: 60
Publisher: 99 Pages or Less Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This humorous, lively dog’s-eye view provides gentle instruction for interacting with pets.
In Weaver’s charming picture book, a dog reassesses his not-so-glowing review of little kids.
“Families are OVERRATED!” as far as the bluish-gray hound named Dog is concerned. While he approves of the adults in the household, the four small children are for the birds. In an attempt to resolve his conflicted feelings, Dog pours his heart out to a therapist scribbling on a notepad. Dog lists his grievances via couplet rhymes: “And many times I’ve found their dirty toys INSIDE MY BOWL! / It’s obvious these little humans have no SELF-CONTROL!” With key words highlighted in colorful and bolded fonts for more emphasis, his voice now has added urgency. Soylu’s lively drawings in muted tones are wondrously effective in animating Dog; his hanging jowls, big eyes, and floppy ears all convey believably beleaguered expressions. Lifelike details enhance the dramatic effect of the children’s boisterous antics. At the end, Weaver provides a list of do’s and don’ts for interacting with pets. Dog lovers can identify the dog breed silhouettes on the endpapers. Kids will get a kick out of Dog’s opinion of humans and perhaps recognize some behaviors to reconsider.
This humorous, lively dog’s-eye view provides gentle instruction for interacting with pets.Pub Date: July 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781736267370
Page Count: 40
Publisher: A Little Offbeat Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tender bedtime tale set in a too-seldom-seen northern world.
A quiet book for putting young children to bed in a state of snowy wonder.
The magic of the north comes alive in a picture book featuring Inuit characters. In the sky at nighttime, snow falls fast. / … / In the sky at nighttime, a raven roosts atop a tall building. / … / In the sky at nighttime, a mother’s delicate song to her child arises like a gentle breeze.” With the repetition of the simple, titular refrain, the author envisions what happens in a small town at night: Young children see their breath in the cold; a hunter returns on his snowmobile; the stars dazzle in the night sky. A young mother rocks her baby to sleep with a song and puts the tot down with a trio of stuffed animals: hare, polar bear, seal. The picture book evokes a feeling of peace as the street lamps, northern lights, and moon illuminate the snow. The illustrations are noteworthy for the way they meld the old world with what it looks like to be a modern Indigenous person: A sled dog and fur-lined parkas combine easily with the frame houses, a pickup truck, power lines, and mobile-hung crib. By introducing Indigenous characters in an unremarkably familiar setting, the book reaches children who don’t always see themselves in an everyday context.
A tender bedtime tale set in a too-seldom-seen northern world. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77227-238-3
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Inhabit Media
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
