3 out of 4 stars
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Sigfried's Smelly Socks by Len Foley is a silly, lighthearted children's book about a boy named Sigfried who has left a vast array of gross, smelly things inside the pages of his book. He introduces several family members, such as his baby sister Piper and his Uncle Kato, who all leave their own unique stenches in Sigfried's book.
The main source of the smells, however, is Sigfried's collection of dirty socks he keeps under his bed. He describes each different colored pair and what it smells like, and each stink is more bizarre than the last. At the end of the book Sigfried does decide to finally wash his socks, but does it in his signature silly fashion.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fun read! The rhyming lines had a smooth flow and played with different text sizes, fonts and colors that would keep young readers invested and entertained. The real highlight, though, was Foley's vibrant illustrations that captured my attention from the very first page. His characters are drawn with comical shapes and expressions, and are animated as they witness the increasingly foul items inside Sigfried's book. The illustration was made especially interesting by the contrast between the smelly items and the characters. Foley used real photos of the objects, such as a rotten banana, a smear of mustard and a moldy waffle. The inclusion of real photos was an unexpected surprise, and made the items seem even more gross when presented next to the cute, simplistic illustrations. Even as a young adult, the images were intriguing and I was curious to see what foul item would come next.
As a babysitter and a camp counselor, I've read books to many different children, and they all have one thing in common: the sillier, the better. I am definitely going to recommend this book to the families I babysit, because based on other silly books I've read to their kids, Sigfried's Smelly Socks will certainly make them howl with laughter. It lends perfectly to a child's sense of humor, and will without a doubt be one of the books they can't stop requesting.
I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars for its clever silliness, intriguing illustrations, and overall enjoyability. The only reason I'm not giving it 4 is because I personally prefer there to be a clear message or moral that children can take from a book and learn from. Sigfried's Smelly Socks is pure entertainment and laughs, with no real message to be taken from it. That being said, I believe a book purely intended for humor can also be beneficial, as it can cheer anyone up after a bad day, and really develop a child's sense of humor. I definitely recommend this book!
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Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!
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