THE GREAT POOP CONTEST

Poop in all sizes and shapes serves as the catalyst for this hilarious tale.

A horse kicks this tale off as he admires his leavings. Unimpressed, a goat, a cow, and a duck all show off their own poop. They each tout the various properties that make their contributions the best. Texture, odor, consistency, and “general poopiness” are all debated. Enter a pig, a self-declared expert on the subject, who will judge a contest to determine the best poop of all, open to all who wish to participate. Dozens of creatures from all over the world and beyond—one of the participants is an extraterrestrial—show off poop in all varieties of shapes, sizes, and smells before a large, enthusiastic crowd. But the winner is even more surprising, for there’s a purpose to its poop. Large-scale, colorful cartoons depict the animals in often-startling hues and with alert, delighted expressions, even when they’re holding their noses. The dialogue is fun and colloquial, and every contestant’s contribution is described in wonderfully detailed language. A few charming rhymes are scattered through the narration, though some may have lost something in the translation from Spanish. Nevertheless, the proceedings will elicit happy shouts of “Ew!” and “Yuck!” from young readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Laugh-out-loud funny and utterly delightful.