WORST IN SHOW

Can Sidney win the Best Pet Monster in the World! competition? His best friendcertainly thinks so.

Sidney the monster is shaggy and pear-shaped and looks to be about 7 feet tall. His owner, Albert, a sober-looking lad in short pants and huge eyeglasses, decides to prove Sidney’s excellence by entering him in the contest. Sidney competes against an array of other monsters in multiple categories: "Hairiest Warts," "Highest Hover," "Most Parasites," "Smelliest Fart" and, finally, "Hottest Breath." Sidney has a bath every other day, so he has no warts, just a few freckles. He's scared of heights, so hovering is out of the question, and he only has two parasites—Stan and Ollie, just visiting the top of his head. They're tourists, really. And so it goes. Because he eats cupcakes and cookies, Sidney's fart is a sugary whiff. And his breath is merely warm, unlike the fiery exhalations of the other competitors. He finishes last in every category, setting a new record for "Worst in Show" (depicted in an enormous fold-out four-page spread). Albert might be embarrassed, but instead he's proud to have such a big, cuddly, lovable best friend. The winning message never obscures the book’s fun. Hindley's deliciously detailed illustrations, in pencil and paint, digitally colored, bring Bee's story to boisterous life. The affection between Albert and mild-mannered Sidney is palpable.

Just sublime.