DISGUSTING JUSTIN

Poop jokes abound in this picture book about a future comedian and his friends.

Justin may get in trouble for his uncouth habits, but as long as he can make his friends laugh, he doesn’t care. When their amusement at his antics seems to wane, he needs a new plan: “ ‘Why are they not laughing more?’ Justin grumbled with regret. / ‘I’ll have to take it up a notch and be my most disgusting yet!’ ” But when he eats out of the garbage bin, the joke’s on him; his stomach can’t handle the grossness, and he has an explosive bathroom episode that leaves his friends concerned instead of entertained. Everything changes when he realizes healthy veggies “made him fart” and that he can do prat falls just as easily if he’s clean as when he’s filthy. Frank captures the sheer delight that some early independent readers find in grossness; fun, unfamiliar words like “pongy burps” are clear from context but may stretch young readers’ vocabulary. Add some light nudity (butt jokes in both the text and illustrations) and this is sure to be a book that may turn off many adults, but some youngsters will certainly enjoy it. Vamos’ Disney-like, full-color cartoon illustrations perfectly capture Justin’s attitude and the over-the-top humor.

A winner for families that enjoy a heavy dose of gross-out humor.