That Stinks!

Starred review from May 2, 2016
The classroom is supposed to be a place where appropriate, upbeat language is a baseline expectation. But what if, just once, you could say something truly disruptive—with the teacher standing right there? With a keen sense for juvenile humor, Katz (The Day the Mustache Took Over) imagines the circumstances where this might be totally acceptable: an impromptu show-and-tell in which a string of rude statements turns out to be downright factual. The student presenters announce their offerings with kid-style expletives and exaggerated facial expressions to match; turn the page, and it’s revealed that those expletives are actually literal references to the items at hand. “That stinks!” perfectly describes Jimmy’s pet skunk, while “This totally bites!” is Mike’s way of warning his classmates about his pet tarantula. Gilpin’s (the Fart Squad series) caricature-style drawings of this highly expressive class give Katz’s jokes an extra goose. By the time Jordan announces “It’s the pits!” then explains, “They’re from avocados that grow on my family’s tree!” readers will be reveling in the screwy, subversive fun. Ages 4 –8. Author’s agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. Illustrator’s agency: Shannon Associates.

June 1, 2016
Katz's (sub)titular show and tell has a room full of racially diverse students making proclamations that would normally get them sent to the principal's office, giving this book a forbidden-fruit vibe.A cold and rainy day prompts Mrs. Mueller to cancel recess and hold show and tell instead. Jimmy's response? "That stinks!" The class gasps, mouths agape, but Jimmy is just referring to the item he's sharing: his pet skunk. "Aw, nuts!" says Susie: she shows off a bowl of several kinds. And so it goes, each student turning a potentially inflammatory comment into an innocuous one, though some are more jaw-dropping than others--"This totally bites!"--and some are just downright cheesy (literally). And the nerds are easily pinpointed: Monica shows off her gross of pencils, and Thomas displays an electrical circuit ("Shocking!"). Gilpin proves he is a master of both facial expressions and kids' body language; a raised eyebrow here and a crinkled nose there exude disgust, and there's no child who won't recognize the talk-to-the-hand gesture accompanied by upward-looking eyes that he does so well in his digital illustrations. But Katz's text is not as strong. One wonders how the kids came to have these items in school (especially the pet skunk and the family's dinner garbage) when the activity is presented as an impromptu decision. The items also seem to be chosen more for their pun-ability than as a reflection of kids' reality.Like a pun, this book will either go over really well or flop. (Picture book. 4-8)

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August 1, 2016

K-Gr 2-In this clever picture book, a school day goes from boring to absurd when recess is cancelled because of bad weather. It all begins innocently when the teacher suggests show-and-tell and one student shouts out, "That stinks!" to the horror of everyone. However, when the page is turned, the child innocently introduces his pet skunk Harry. Another kid, seemingly enraged, shouts, "This totally bites!" and then goes on to show everyone a tarantula. The stakes and laughs increase as the remaining students top one another with wordplay and puns. Each child who "shows and tells" is added to the montage of proud students holding their treasures, which include a rotten banana and smelly cheese. The tale culminates with the teacher reciting all of the outrageous utterances only to have the principal come in and steal the show. The illustrations portray a diverse group of children and objects and are digitally depicted in a cartoon style that matches the story's tone. VERDICT This selection will have kids roaring as they quickly catch on and gleefully wait to see what is actually being described.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

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