Skip to main content

Review: Show and Smell

Show and Smell
Written by Deanna Kent
Illustrated by Neil Hooson
Random House Children's Books, 2023. Comics. 56 pages.

Four wide-eyed and adorable aliens are roused one morning with the chance to visit Earth.  In their attempt to find out the best way to learn about Earth and it's people, they turn to their intergalatic computer for answers.  Unfortunately, it's on the fritz and through a misguessed word, the aliens are mistakenly sent on a search for Earth's smelliest smells.

Marshmallow Martians is a delightfully silly read.  The four colorful little aliens have an unending enthusiasm and energy about them which makes them endearing protagonists.  Younger readers who love a little bit of gross humor will get a kick out of all the stinky smells the aliens collect, and the final show and smell on their ship is a great finale to this goofy good time. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...