I was a ten-year-old boy in a former life. Yes, I think fart jokes can be funny. Unfortunately, Someone Farted laid an egg. It had potential to be a real strong one: Nobody admits that they are the one that dealt it, though everyone smelt it (yes, I went there). The adventures keep happening to our car-trip-taking family (arrested, going to jail, dealing with the aftermath of the somewhat confession). They keep building up and up to some great explosive conclusion. Then, nothing. It just fizzled out.
New Yorker cartoonist, Bruce Eric Kaplan’s signature style is here with the illustrations. If you are a fan of him, then you should consider this book. However, I do not see most kids enjoying this book, even though we know the fart took place (after all everyone smells the stink), there is not the humor of say, Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle, Glenn Murray and Audrey Colman or The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts Shinta Cho and Amanda Mayer Stinchecum. The stink the family makes lends itself to adult humor. There is little action as everything just silently flows by for them.
If you do enjoy Someone Farted you could try some of his other works such as Monsters Eat Whiny Children or his adult I Love You, I Hate You, I’m Hungry. Kaplan’s style is one that is not for everyone and not an easy recommendation.
When I am looking for my low-brow humor I will stick with Walter and things like Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown.
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