Customer Reviews

Strange Stains and Mysterious Smells: Based on Quentin Cottington's Journal of Faery Research

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hilarious and all-together head-scratching, as you find yourself realizing they're talking about something you've been wondering about all along. You may have thought you were the only one undergoing the cruel and unusual punishment of these noxious fumes and stains, but here you find you are not alone... If you're going to read this aloud as a bed-time book or as a book of quotations, you are required by law to read it aloud with an English accent. If you cannot speak with an English accent or if it is terrible beyond measure, please read silently. Don't even mouth the words as you read. If by chance, you meet someone who is talking about smells and stains in a bad English accent, smack him. If he's bigger than you, you may let him off with a warning...or politely kick him and run, because big guys take longer to build up the inertia to accelerate than little guys. If he doesn't catch you and is breathing heavily, then run up to him and smack him. That should get the point across.

...but also a bit disarming! Some of the stains and "odor" illustrations in the book look... well, "fresh". I'm not altogether sure that I want to know how the book publisher achieved this effect, but it definately adds bonus points in my mind.

So, the authors of the book claim to have found a gadget that allows them to communicate with smells and stains. Odd, to think that such things are sentient, but nonetheless, their commentary is, of course, hilarious.

Not that I mean to give anything away, but my personal favorite is "The Great Stain of the Apocalypse" and the theory surrounding it. You'll have to get the book (which I recommend) to find out more!

I like this book, it's funny, the text, the illustrations! I must say, it is not one of Frouds' & Jones' best work, but still it is funny. I especially like the glow-in-the-dark stains that appears on some pages in the book...(what i really miss in the book though is smells, it would be so cool with scrape and smell pictures!!) I think that anyone coming up with such an idea of a book deserves good credit, and i wish that i would've had this book as a child!! What fun it would have been! Having worked at a kindergarden and read a million and one stories i know that kids aprechiate this type of humour, but i think that there should be a "childrens edition" to this book due to some of the language in the book...but all in all it is a good and funny book, and i especially like the "ode to an armpit" (can't remember the full title) poem...

...because Strange Stains and Mysterious Smells is, aside from nicely done art (by Brian Froud) and brilliant satire (by Terry Jones), a fairly good glimpse into the sort of creatures that are around even if you don't want them to be, even if you aren't the sort to have pixies and goblins about because you don't believe in them or believe in them so much it creeps the little creatures out. Check under your VCR or underneath the layer of papers covering a desk to see what I mean, as you've probably got Doggitus Mucilagus sticking some loose change to the wood.
Extremely funny and far from fiction, get it for yourself and as a gift for your favourite neat-freak.

This book seems to be very creative and should stimulate excellent discussion and interaction in class for middle level students. The stories in the book should easily stimulate creative writing by students. Some of the art work my be somewhat objectionable.

It's sort of the continuation to Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book.It's really funny! Terry Jones, one of the members of Monty Pythons Flying Circus wrote this book so right off the bat you know it's gonna be funny and it is! So get it!

I have bought this book as a gift for friends ever since I owned my first copy. It is funny, beautifully illlustrated and guarenteed to appeal to all artistic types with an affiliation for Monty Python, Black Adder and all things English and comedic! Not for children, even though they love the picture. It stands alone although is really best enjoyed along with the other Lady Coddington fairy books.
I am currently buying a copy for my graphic deisgner and his illustrator wife. I have no doubt he will add it to his collection of published weirdness!

I just got this book but I haven't quite finished it yet, but as of right now I am very pleased with it's humorous content. The text is unusual in some instances but all around it is pretty well put together. This is certainly a book I will treausre, and I've yet to check out the glow in the dark stains but I can't wait to. Granted, some of the pictures leave a little to be desired, but has anyone ever been perfect all the time? no, so it is unfair to expect this from anyone. But anyhow, this book has unmistakably been enjoyable and as with all of Frouds books, I'll be rereading this one sometime in the near future, and if a book is good enough to be reread then it's a keeper!

Great Readalong book that that provides comic relief for both adults and adolecents. An excellent book for intermediate grades to use in stimulating thinking and writing. An execellent picture book with original characters and use of art within text to illustrate the text.

I bought this book to have an interesting coffee table book for a bit of light reading and while I thought the content was funny and kinda cute, there was simply not enough of it. It does make for an interesting conversation piece however.