"Smelly" Kelly and His Super Senses

August 1, 2020
A tribute to the New York City subway's first official "leak detective." Gifted with a literal nose for trouble, James Kelly arrived in New York from Ireland "with nothing but a suitcase and a keen sense of smell"--and leveraged the latter into a long career over the first half of the 20th century sniffing out dangerous gas, water, steam, and other leaks in the subway system and elsewhere. Along the way he solved mysteries ("the most nauseating, nose-scrunching stench ever to hit the subway," detected at the 42nd Street station, turned out to be caused by a buried deposit of circus-elephant dung beneath the site of the old Hippodrome) and averted several potential disasters. Anderson casts him in a heroic mold, as he had not only a special ability, but the inner motivation to use it in service to public safety: "With such an honor came great responsibility." (Shades of Spider-Man.) Depicted with a confident smile and a mop of bright orange hair, Kelly shines as he goes after suggestive twists and curls of miasmic yellowish green in the illustrations' succession of antique-looking street scenes and cross-sectional views of underground pipes and tunnels. Harney tucks a dark-skinned couple into a line of subway riders, but otherwise human figures present White throughout. In a set of endnotes the author adds a portrait photo, describes some of the specialized gear that Kelly invented, and closes with leads to more information about New York's underground. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 77 % of actual size.) Another immigrant gets the job done. (source notes, bibliography.) (Picture book/biography. 7-9)

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September 14, 2020
This picture book biography highlights a little-known figure: James “Smelly” Kelly, an Irish immigrant whose excellent sense of smell helped ensure the safety of the New York City subway system in the mid-20th century. In compelling prose, Anderson relays Kelly’s heroic exploits, including locating leak sources, inventing detection implements, and saving a man from beneath a train (“Inches from the underside of the car. Inches from the electrified third rail”). Harney’s
digital illustrations evoke stylized pen and ink; coils of pea green bring noxious scents to life. Kelly’s brightly spotlighted escapades—as well as his distinctive red hair, rendered in a vibrant shade—serve as welcome contrast. Though some details are hazy, this is an interesting profile of an underappreciated figure. Back matter includes an author’s note, a bibliography, and additional resources. Ages 7–10.

November 1, 2020

Gr 2-5-This picture book biography centers on James Kelly, a white Irish immigrant and Transit Authority worker born in 1898, who used his incredible sense of smell to solve problems. Kelly could recognize scents that most people ignored. His impressive ability helped him identify leaks that could damage the New York City subway system. Eventually, he implemented tools that supplemented his skills, such as a yellow powder called uranine. This chemical was used to stain water yellow and helped Kelly locate leaks. The engaging text features dramatic incidents and rescues. For example, near the end of the narrative, one scene depicts Kelly saving the life of a man who fell from the platform and onto the tracks. Kelly jumped down, crawled under the subway car, and pinned the man down. The car was able to pass over both men without hurting them. Harney's cartoon-style artwork is perfect for the narrative because it reinforces the idea that Kelly was a little-known superhero. The illustrations feature a predominately white cast of characters. The author's note, bibliography, and further resources section could inspire readers to conduct more research. This would be an excellent book for talking about problem-solving and engineering. VERDICT Recommended for elementary collections, particularly those that emphasize makerspaces, problem-solving, or STEAM activities.-Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elem., FL

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