You’re always going to find something new for kids on the bookshelf that involves bums or farts. This month’s addition is the first book in the ‘Fartboy’ series, The First Sniff.

Martin Kennedy lives in Sparkletown, which has won the ‘world’s tidiest town’ for 17 years straight. Martin is on the Tidy Town Committee and also the Anti-Gross Committee. Sparkletown is so tidy even the rubbish is tidy! Martin hates gross things. And he hates anything gross so much he has never, ever, ever farted.

Martin is so happy in Sparkletown. But there is only one downer. It’s a factory that is on the outskirts of town. There are some good things about the factory. It’s shiny and clean, even sparkly. And lots of people from the town work there. But there is a terrible dark side. It is responsible for 98 per cent of the world’s farts. It’s a factory making baked beans.

Martin is super excited when he meets Mrs Jansen, just before his favourite Tidy Town meeting for the month. But Mrs Jansen is panicking as the snacks for the meeting haven’t turned up! There is only one place left open today. Martin then also panics as it dawns on him. Not the baked bean factory! What follows are internal and external explosions that mean life will never smell the same for Martin.

This books elicits giggles and giggles, as a farting grandma becomes Martins’ gassy guru – or methane mentor – to help him ‘let it go’. You can’t help but laugh as Martin attempts not to fart, no matter what. Lots of fun!

Reviewed by Jane Stephens
Age Guide 6+