Stinky Science: Why the Smelliest Smells Smell So Smelly

Youngsters, especially those under twelve, revel in all things gross and especially anal. Here is a book filled with science details about fecal discharges, gaseous farts, and all kinds of gross odors that the olfactory sensors of the nose can pick up and the brain can read. Writing with wit and capturing the adolescent adoration of absurdity, the author Edward Kay clearly engages the reader in the many fascinating aspects of how the nose picks up the chemical messengers of stink.

But not only is the script delightfully engaging, but the accompanying illustrations by Mike Shiell also portray these odoriferous creatures as eye-catching cartoonish features that tickle the eyes. Try some Icelandic fermented shark flesh, which is nothing more than decayed meat reeking of ammonia, a stinky smell found on unwashed diapers. Some people favor Limburger cheese which is flavored by the same microbe found on stinky feet. Can anything smell worse than an angry skunk, well then try a polecat’s anal spray; watch out for the bombardier beetle and its chemical spray arsenal. Filled with fascinating details of how the sense of smell among animals and the creatures that produce the stench serve as communication and survival mechanisms, the story of odors and malodors will intrigue the reader.