Stinker

by David Zeltser, Julia Patton (Illustrator)

Overview

Stinker is a puppy stuck in the pound. He's playful and loving and wants more than anything to be adopted. Unfortunately, little Stinker is always making big smells. As family after family return the ever-patient pooch back to the shelter, even he begins to lose hope. That is, until Stinker meets a snarky tomcat who can wriggle his way out of any situation. Together they stage a great escape in order to find just the right home, where Stinker will be loved in spite of his smells.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781512417920
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/01/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD570L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 9 Years

About the Author

David Zeltser is the author of the Lug series, Ninja Baby, Stinker, and The Universe Ate My Homework. He studied physics at Harvard and was fortunate to co-author a paper with the world renowned physicist Howard Georgi. Now David writes children's books, graphic novels, and screenplays and lives with his family and many barking sea lions in Santa Cruz, California. Follow him on Twitter (@davidzeltser) and at www.davidzeltser.com.

Julia Patton is an award-winning author and illustrator who works from a rustic woodshed in the wilds of rural Northumberland, UK. Her work includes The Very Very Very Long Dog and Snail Mail.

Editorial Reviews

"Please take this book home with you. It does not stink. It is irresistible."—Judy Schachner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Skippyjon Jones

From the Publisher

2017-05-17
A boisterous, black-and-white dog has two problems: an excess of flatulence and a lack of a permanent home. The dog is named Stinker, naturally, and his story is narrated in first person by a smart-aleck, marmalade cat who happens to be around for all the action (though without an explanation for its presence). The cat explains that Stinker's first owner didn't like "smelling his little smells." She left Stinker at an animal shelter, where he was considered for adoption by several families and individuals, including people of color and a boy using a wheelchair. All of them reject the dog because of his gas problem. Stinker eventually finds a cozy home with a lonely, older man. Bright, busy illustrations in mixed media provide energetic personalities for the two animals, with scribbly, gray clouds of gas trailing after Stinker. The unexceptional story is not particularly funny, and the description of the older, white man, Mr. Curtis, is seriously flawed in its treatment of the man's impaired sight and hearing. Mr. Curtis is "as old as the hills," "can't see worth a hill of beans," and "cannot hear worth a hoot." His sense of smell is still acute, so he locates Stinker by the dog's gaseous smell. The condescending attitude toward the man's age and disabilities represents an inappropriate and outdated use of advanced years and impairment as the butt of jokes. Gassy dogs may be funny, but poking fun at disabilities never is. Stinker indeed. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews