Customer Reviews

I Stink!

5 star:		(82)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The most testosterone laden picture book ever conceived and executed. You thought "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" was a tad bit too masculine for your kids? Then forgo the wonders of "I Stink". A rip roaring celebration of the joys of sanitation (THERE's a new word for your kids to learn!) this book follows the daily work of a garbage truck as it makes its daily rounds in the wee hours of the day. The book is so good natured in its exclamations you just can't help but love it either. And trust me, the kids will.

Here's how the book begins. No namby-pamby openers for this morning vehicle. "Who am I? I've got lights. Ten WIDE tires. No A.C., not me. I've got doubles: Steering wheels, gas pedals, brakes. I am totally DUAL OP". You half expect this truck to disintegrate into a series of well-chosen cuss words, it's so certain of its own glory. Acting more like an Oscar the Grouch in garbage truck form, the dirty monstrosity exhibits its own forms of belching before launching into the ABC's of its morning diet. A word of warning: don't read this book too early in the morning. You may find yourself growing nauseous (even as your kids howl for more) reading about fish heads, ugly (stained) underpants, and year-old yams. The authors aren't squeamish about defecation either. Here we can clearly see dirty diapers, kitty litter, and puppy poo (not to put too fine a point on it). The truck then explains how indispensable he (I'm only assuming it's male, but it's a pretty clear guess) is summarizing the predicament we'd be in. Without the Sanitation Department, "You're on Mount Trash-o-rama, baby". Never thought you'd ever hear a garbage truck call you "baby"? You obviously could not have predicted this book.

The authors are careful to thank not only garbage men Earl Harrington and Billy King in their opening, but also "everyone at the New York City Department of Sanitation". It is a fitting tribute, and an excellent book to offer unto them. Capped off by beautiful endpapers (displaying our friend the Garbage Truck in mesmerizing shades of deep blue and turquoise) this disgusting, smelly, filthy book is a class act through and through. Kids love it, grown-ups (that aren't prone to sickness) really get into it, and the world is a better place for it. Garbage workers rarely get their due. Now, they're not only commended for their work, but lauded as well.

It's hard to believe that anyone could write an entertaining story about the ins and outs of garbage collection, but that's exactly what husband and wife team, Kate and Jim McMullan, have done. Meet a New York City garbage truck. He's bold, brash, confident, and he's more than happy to explain how he gets this dirty job done while the rest of the city sleeps. From apple cores, banana peels, candy wrappers, and dirty diapers to watermelon rings, XL T-shirts, year old yams, and zipped-up ziti with zucchini, he eats it all and never complains. "What's that? You think I stink? WHOOOOO-WHEE! Do I ever! No skunk ever stunk this bad! Go, hold your nose, but think about it - Without Me? You're on Mount Trash-o-rama, baby." The McMullan's have filled their picture book with engaging illustrations, creative text sizes, fonts, and colors, marvelous sound effects, lots of energy and humor. A feast for both the ears and eyes, I Stink shows a big, happy, boisterous machine at work, doing an important community job, and makes a perfect read aloud, youngsters 3-7 will beg to hear again and again.

After reading Kate and Jim McMullan's delightful, I STINK, my children and I can't pass a garbage truck without smiling. This totally original book takes us into a whole new world of trash. Readers will relish every word uttered by the tough-talking garbage truck while falling in love with his adorable face. My children begged me to read and re-read the alphabet soup pages--a look at what every garbage truck slurps up in an average day. This is the perfect gift for children of all ages. My family anxiously awaits the next book by this very talented husband and wife (illustrator/author) team.

My almost 2 year old son has had a fascination with garbage trucks since he was a little over a year old. Recently our children's librarian recommended this book. At first, I didn't think the language would work for a 2 year old. It is a bit slangy and somewhat adult (though not inappropriately so). However, it turns out that he understands it just fine and the gruff New York City garbage truck has really grown on us. I also thought the pictures would be too abstract for my son, but again he can handle them. He has a few favorite parts. First, the part where the garbage has to be compacted. Second, the "alphabet soup" that the garbage truck eats. He appreciates the things he can identify with (banana peels, dirty diapers, kitty litter, orange peels) and has also learned some new words. On the back cover is a great picture of the garbage truck sleeping with a sweet sleep smile on his face. He turns out to be a big teddy bear after all!

This book is a huge favorite with my son and one that we do not tire of reading. I highly recommend it.

... "I Stink" by Kate and Jim McMullan is the book for you. This is a really fun book that follows a trash truck as he makes his rounds. The artwork is really unique and the trash truck is pretty funny. You also get a chance to run down the alphabet by naming some of the yucky stuff in the trash truck. It's a unique and funky book, but kids really enjoy it. I thought the artwork was particularly unique and well done.

I recently purchased this book for my 3 1/2 year old daughter as she is fascinated with big trucks and construction equipment. This has become one of her favorite books and she requests it read to her at least a couple of times a day. She also enjoys the sister book "I'm Dirty".

Something "stinks" are words familiar to children, and to associate them with a garbage truck who teaches the alphabet via "things in his truck" is a great new approach to hold interest and teach at the same. Delightful illustrations and humorous narrative holds attention! A fun read!
Evelyn Horan - teacher/counselor/author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Books One - Three

I really wanted to like this book. We live in the city and my daughter loves to watch the trucks collect garbage and recyclables. But this trash truck character has a bad attitude. I'm not the goody-goody that sounds like. I just didn't like how the truck made comments like, "Did I wake you? Too bad!" or used "Baby" to refer to the reader, like some kind of swinger. It shifted the focus onto the attitude of the truck, and not the appreciation of an important city service. It tried to be too cool and in doing so makes it not such a great children's book.

I did like the ABC portion where a trash was listed for each letter of the alphabet.

We can't decide what about the book we like the most: the story or the illustrations. The dialogue of the trash truck is so entertaining especially if you put a lot of drama and fun into the way you read each of the pages. The pictures are colorful and whimsical. We review the book at least twice in each sitting and find something new in the illustrations each time. You will love the alphabet soup! This book is fabulous fun each time we read it.

This book is one that we had checked out at the library and we had to buy it! It is funny, original and educational all at the same time! A must for a little boy's library! Entertaining for parents, too!