Walter the Farting Dog

October 8, 2001
Here's a companion to Taro Gomi's Everyone Poops, albeit with less educational value. Walter, a fat gray dog with an apologetic look on his face, comes home from the pound with two children. He has incurable gas, and his family decides to take him back. The night before he is to go, Walter sadly devours "the 25-pound bag of low-fart dog biscuits the vet had prescribed for him, which had made him fart more.... A gigantic gas bubble began to build inside him." Wouldn't you know, two burglars break in, and Walter's liability becomes his asset. Predictable stuff, but Kotzwinkle (Trouble in Bugland) and education writer Murray know their audience. Their simple strategy—just keep saying "fart"—should have children rolling in the aisles during read-aloud. Newcomer Colman likewise fixates on one visual gag, Walter with steam blasting out his backside. Unlike Babette Cole, whose Dr. Dog
takes a mock-scientific approach to digestion, Colman specializes in reaction shots; in her surreal collages of photos and patterns, people hold their noses and a cat glances at the culprit. Yes, this lowbrow endeavor could be a crowd-pleaser but, like its topic, its disruptive effects will tend to linger. Ages 4-8.

February 15, 2002
Ages 5-8. Has there ever been a more self-explanatory title? The family that brings Walter home from the pound quickly discovers his problem. Will a change of diet work? No. And, unfortunately, Walter doesn't seem to have much self-control when it comes to his failing: on the night before he is to be taken back to the pound, he eats a 25-pound bag of dog biscuits ("Even though he knew they made him fart more, he couldn't resist them . . . Very tasty"). When burglars break into the house, Walter puts his blasting ability to good use, and the family comes to value him just as he is. This is similar to Dav Pilkey's " Dog Breath "(1994), but centering on a more offensive orifice. Is there any reason to purchase this, besides the fact that kids will find it hysterical? The dialog is clever (though two writers--one of whom is veteran author Kotzwinkle--seems excessive), and the art is quite ingenious. Seemingly computer-conceived characters--including Walter complete with a permanently abashed expression--are unique efforts, as are the smoothly colored backgrounds. All in all, it's a gas.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)