WHERE'S BRIAN'S BOTTOM?

Hunt through a house for the behind of one very long sausage dog!

Built upon a silly gag—locating Brian’s bottom as his body meanders through the house—this over-the-top, extra-long board book will tickle some funny bones. With an absurdist and just a wee bit naughty tone, an omniscient narrator invites readers to search for the elusive bum. Following the dachshund’s long torso, various animals offer observations. Pauline parrot informs readers that Brian’s bottom is not in a hallway, while Derek duck says it hasn’t “been on the toilet” either. Fold-out pages make this one long journey (over 8 feet long, in fact), but finally the doggie tush is located, snug in bed. There’s lots of giggly details to take in—an ever present charismatic gray spider or the use of Brian’s body as an ad-hoc towel rack—and even more to see when the book is flipped over to show the house at night, including some very sneaky mice. Clean cartoon-style art is agreeable, and a thick, dark outline around Brian’s dachshund body makes it easy to follow. While the book reassembles fairly easily, there’s no question the long, narrow form is unwieldy, and some caregivers will find it overly tricky. But the right young viewer—an aspiring Monty Python fan perhaps?—will love lying on the floor, poring over the lengthy search for a lengthy bottom.

Eclectically enjoyable.