  | Farty Marty Author: Ward, B. J. | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
Although Mary Jane Lemon loves her cat Marty, others are offended by the sounds and smells that come from his rear until Ms. Chen, a voice tutor, discovers that Marty's "audio output" is quite remarkable.
| Illustrator: | Kellogg, Steven |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 3.40 Points: .5 Quiz: 163081 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: K-2 Reading Level: 2.50 Points: 1.0 Quiz: 61771 | |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (10/01/13)
School Library Journal (00/10/13)
Booklist (11/15/13)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 10/01/2013 K-Gr 2—Mary Jane's cat has a flatulence problem that causes her friends to call him Farty Marty. The cat's problem is offensive to all those around him, but the girl defends and loves him unconditionally. It is soon discovered that his gastric distress is becoming musical. "But how can this be?/Your cat eats French cheese…/and then plays Debussy?" He eats pasta then expels Italian love songs, "Te Amo, Te Amo." Mary Jane decides to take him on tour to showcase his talents and make money. In Boston, after some franks and beans, he starts with fireworks and ends with "Yankee Doodle Dandy." In other places his output is opera, country, and rap music. Mary Jane tours the feline worldwide. In France, perfume makers bottle his scent and call it "La Farte." The last page advises readers to listen to their pets. "Be delighted if you hear a gurgle or tweet./You might have a gold mine asleep at your feet." The illustrations are vintage Kellogg, and that is to say they are colorful, rich in detail, and energetically animated. But even the stellar artwork doesn't save this one-note offering.—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 11/15/2013 Marty the cat purrs from both ends. Mary Jane first notices strange sounds pop out of his tush at show-and-tell. The principal accuses him of being a skunk, and he gets the nickname Farty Marty. But it soon becomes clear that Marty’s pops are not of the everyday variety. Depending on his meal, he can expel an aria or a French love song. This, naturally, is a very marketable talent. And so kids are treated to the sight of Marty farting his way around the country (the funniest being Marty blinged out as rapper) and the world. All the fame results in the school being renamed for Marty and the suggestion that kids see if their pets have any talent in this area. Kellogg obviously had a ball with the illustrations. Everywhere you look, there’s another hilarious spoof—an elegant commercial for La Farte perfume; Marty singing atop the Sphinx while someone in the audience holds a sign that says Revive Cat Worship; at the Brandenburg Gate, with Marty tooting Ich bin ein Berliner. This one’s a blast. - Copyright 2013 Booklist.
