3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Book Review – Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! By Len Foley
I am one of those people who will read a book purely because I like the title. My interest is quickly captured by anything quirky, funny or a little unusual, often before having any idea what the story is about. Certainly, if an author can invest that much thought into an eye-catching title, the rest of the book can’t be too bad either.
This was true for Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! I saw it and had to smile. Which parent hasn’t come across a stinky sock and joked around with their child, teasing and making all the appropriate sound effects? This short story begins with the arresting statement, ‘Something stinks about this book.’ Sigfried goes on to try and work out what could be causing the awful smell coming from the pages of his book: a rotten banana, some pizza, even dog pee has somehow managed to soil the pages. It gets worse: he postulates it could be from when his brother wiped his nose on it, or from the time his baby sister used it on her dirty behind…
It's just the sort of stinky, smelly narrative that would make a young child squeal with laughter!
The story reveals a variety of possible reasons for the foul smell before Sigfried confesses the book has been in contact with his dirty, unwashed socks. He embarks on a scheme to get rid of the smells, but his solution is not quite what I was expecting!
This book is written in rhyme, in simple sentences that a child would easily understand. The typeface is large and fun, and the author cleverly restricts his ideas to one per page. The different socks are highlighted, one by one, and this part can even be used to teach colours and patterns to young children. Some comments are quite nonsensical - who on earth puts mustard on their waffles? – but these are sure to raise a giggle from a young reader.
I did, however, have a problem with the sequencing of the story. We are first told about all the unpleasant things that are causing the book to smell. Next, the socks are introduced in detail. Following that, there is more about other smelly culprits before we get back to the socks again. This seems to make the whole storyline a little chaotic.
Another issue is the awkward rhyming in certain places. Sometimes the meter and rhythm fall magically into place; at other times they seem forced and the rhyme doesn’t quite work. I would have liked to have seen one rhyming pattern used throughout the story to make it flow better.
I must commend the author on his outstanding illustrations. Some look like surreal cartoon drawings and others are photographs, but they all form a colourful and engaging complement to the story. The multiple pictures on each page are sure to hold a child’s attention. There is even a little fly that makes an appearance every few pages, no doubt attracted to the stench!
The editing was good with very few errors. An illustration of a potato is labelled as a turnip but this is not a critical issue. I think this book deserves a rating of 3 out of 4 stars because it is so entertaining and original. Just a few editorial adjustments should see it easily achieve a perfect score. The ending is both unexpected and funny, and I’m certain this book will appeal not only to smaller children but also to adults who are young at heart.
******
Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like sonya01's review? Post a comment saying so!
I am not a sucker for children's books but it seems that young readers will love this book. Thanks for the review!
Hi Debjani! Sometimes you find a book that's really easy to review - the words have a life of their own. Thanks for the encouragement!
Sigfried, while doing his final act, could've been singing, "I did it my way!" (Do kids of this generation even know that song?)
