  | My stinky dog Author: Roussey, Christine | |
| Price: $22.38 | ||
Summary:
Alfred is a great dog. He's super sweet and he can run really fast. There's just one teeny, tiny thing. Alfred STINKS. His feet stink, his back stinks, his tummy stinks. Alfred's owner, a little boy, loves him and tries everything to help: soaps and incense, perfumes and shampoos. And he finally, finally, gets Alfred clean. But then. the boy kind of misses the stink. And with Alfred carefully avoiding every puddle and constantly brushing his teeth, he's not very fun anymore. It turns out, Alfred without his stink just isn't Alfred!
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (04/15/18)
School Library Journal (06/01/18)
Booklist (05/01/18)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 05/01/2018 Alfred, a pooch much loved and admired by his young master, is the “nicest dog around,” talented and totally devoted to his boy. Alfred’s coat, though, is host to rotten mushrooms and other odoriferous substances, causing every part of his anatomy to reek. Something must be done: the boy’s family is relocating from Paris to New York, and the boy worries that stinky Alfred won’t be allowed to come. A serious bath rids Alfred of his foul smell, but his behavior is so unnervingly changed that the boy gets him dirty (and stinky) again, and off to New York they go. The colored line-drawing illustrations featuring the cross-eyed, rotund, homely Alfred, often surrounded by the mass of squiggles and swirls that represent his stench, have a childlike quality with a surreal vibe that matches Alfred’s situation well. The text has a varied vocabulary with a catchy repetition that could easily become a chant after a few times through. Those looking for a portrait of true devotion need look no further than this. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 06/01/2018 PreS-Gr 1—Alfred the dog has many appealing qualities, but there's one little catch that makes life with Alfred less than ideal—he stinks! A thorough bubble bath transforms him so completely that he starts wearing boots and a raincoat to avoid mud and puddles, and he brushes his teeth after every dog treat. The little boy who loves him misses the old Alfred so much that he helps him return to his old stinky ways. Ultimately, he discovers that "everything is perfect in its own smelly way," which makes stinky Alfred perfect in his own right. Roussey's sketchy, unconventional illustrations convey this dog's defects with their own apparent imperfections. On almost every page, for instance, Alfred is surrounded by scribbles; first green ones for how much he reeks, then big pink ones for when he is given a bubble bath. Alfred is likable in a goofy kind of way, but appears far more sloppy than stinky. His transformation from dirty to clean is not remarkable enough to be noteworthy, and he hardly "sparkles" or "shines," as is noted in the text. Readers may wonder what makes this dog so beloved if his boy cannot hug or play with him due to his smell. The concept of loving a friend and/or pet with its quirks and flaws is duly noted, but could be conveyed in a more convincing manner. VERDICT This book contains a marvelous message of acceptance and love; however, it lacks in execution. Consider where needed.—Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
