Review by kfwilson6 -- Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!

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kfwilson6
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Review by kfwilson6 -- Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!

Post by kfwilson6 »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!" by Len Foley.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Sigried’s Smelly Socks! is a humorous children’s book written about the search for the awful smell that permeates the narrator’s book. He travels through the pages questioning the source of the smell. Moreover, he attempts to find the culprit who left behind the stinky item. Full of rhymes, illustrations, and silly words, Sigried’s Smelly Socks! will keep a young child wondering until the end if the title says it all or if there is more to the smell than the title alludes.

Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! came across as a great book to read out loud to young children. The humor is, in part, a result of the word usage. Even though children may not know what “sow lard” is, it’s not the meaning of the words that’s important, it’s the way they sound in their rhyming combinations.

The accompanying illustrations further add to the humor. The pictures are well matched with the text and made me crinkle my nose in disgust a time or two (I consider this a positive point because, unmistakably, this was the goal). The images, combined with the odd words, will also help teach children the meaning of any words they may not know. I bet most children could learn a few new words from this book (sow, lard, kraut), words they wouldn’t normally be exposed to by the ages of 3-5. The ending illustration managed to surprise me, and I believe children would be just as startled. The concluding image is sure to evoke one final bout of laughter.

Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! is obviously not written for parents looking for a meaningful story line, although it does have an important life lesson thrown in; keep your stuff clean or it will stink! There is no plot, just a continuous list of items that smell odd and sound hilarious. I would not recommend this book to parents who don’t want their kids using “potty” words, as the author does refer to pee, diapers, and toilets. For the less faint of heart who can admit bathroom related words are funny, this is an excellent choice.

I give the book 3 out of 4 stars for its fun nature and superb illustrations, which will keep the laughter rolling. I withheld the fourth star for two main reasons. The rhyming pattern throughout the book got lost in the end. It almost seemed as if a page was missing or the page with the brush was missing its text. This threw off the flow right at the finish line. Additionally, although I understood the use of “potty” words for added humor and disgust, I know many parents who would be deterred as a result of their usage.

******
Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!
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kdstrack
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Post by kdstrack »

Great review. I liked the illustrations, too. Your comment about the sound of "sow lard" even though the child doesn't know what it means was great. Glad you got a few chuckles out of this book. Nice job.
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Post by Libs_Books »

I really enjoyed your review and think this is the kind of thing that might appeal to some of the younger members of my extended family. The liveliness of the writing shines through your description. Pity about the rhymes, though - rhyme is so important for developing readers.
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Jaime Lync
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Post by Jaime Lync »

Another great review for a children's book. I also read and reviewed this because I love children's books but I always find writing a review for them really hard.
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kfwilson6
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Post by kfwilson6 »

Jaime Lync wrote: 08 May 2018, 11:53 Another great review for a children's book. I also read and reviewed this because I love children's books but I always find writing a review for them really hard.
Thanks so much for checking out my reviews. I actually find reviews of children's books the easiest to do. Probably because there are also illustrations which adds a whole different talking point. The books are so fun to read and the reviews are a joy to write. I think my children's book reviews demonstrated more creativity than my others.
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Post by Bianka Walter »

When I read the sample of this book, I actually thought it might be a bit much for some people to be reading to their kids - as you pointed out. Although funny - I thought some of it was too gross. Maybe I'm just a prude. And I don't have kids so really, who am I to wonder about these things!
You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.
- Dr. Seuss
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