I Stink!

Publishers Weekly

In a starred review, PW called this tale of a New York City garbage truck "a hilarious homage to an unsung hero." Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

What has ten wide tires, one really big appetite and an even bigger smell? The hero of this book—a New York City garbage truck. No namby-pamby pleasure craft here. This rough guy revels in obnoxious, loud bantering as he narrates an evening on the job. While most of us are sleeping, this sanitation scout is on the prowl wanting to satisfy his appetite for garbage bags left on the curb. With the grind and growl of the pistons and crusher blades, the full load is smooshed into a compact mass of junk. Does he care if he wakes you? "Too bad!" is the reply. As long as his hopper is full, he is a happy garbage truck and none too bold to announce it. Once full, the garbage is crushed; we then see a full-page spread of an enormous "BURRRP!" Here comes an educational diversion in this release—an alphabet of garbage—everything from apple cores and moldy meatballs to year-old yams and zipped-up ziti with zucchini. Following this is an environmental message about where we would be without the garbage truck, and what happens to the garbage once the truck is full. The illustrations portray the garbage truck as having an attitude as gigantic as his appetite. Not exactly a role model for readers, but hopefully no readers eat garbage! This board book version will be sure to please the youngest truck fans. 2002, Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins, Ages 4 to 8.
—Elizabeth Young

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-An enthusiastic garbage truck describes the hearty joys of its daily rounds. The personified vehicle, with windows as eyes and a grille mouth, is appropriately unapologetic for the noises and smells that come with the territory. After filling up with trash ("Whoa, those bags are way compacted"), it gives a loud burp, followed by an "alphabet soup" list of items it digests, including "Dirty diapers," "Puppy poo," and "Ugly underpants." Varied perspectives; the creative use of light; and a palette of grays, blues, greens, and yellow visually capture the rewards of garbage collecting in an appealingly gross package. The text appears in letters of assorted size, color, and boldness that aptly fit the lively directness of the narrative. The truck's brash good humor shows in its toothy grin and expressive eyes, but the human qualities do not detract from its obvious truckish essence. When it proudly admits that it stinks ("Whooooo-whee! Do I ever!"), the truck asks readers where they would be without it. The answer appears on the following spread with a garbage-covered city. The simple, but distinctive voice of the narrating vehicle makes this a fun and funny read-aloud, especially for young truck enthusiasts.-Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

He's dirty; he's huge; he eats disgusting garbage; and he's gleefully stinky. ("Who am I? The garbage truck, that's who.") What preschool-aged boy could resist the terrific title or the ten-wheeled force behind this anthropomorphized garbage truck narrator from the McMullans (Papa's Song, 2000, etc.), a husband-and-wife team who did their own garbage truck research with the New York City Department of Sanitation. The instantaneously appealing cover announces the title in huge red letters with the unnamed, grinning truck ready to roll for a hard night's work "eating" bags of trash. But that's not all he eats: he also chomps through an entire alphabet soup of trash items, including some guaranteed gigglers such as dirty diapers, moldy meatballs, and smelly sneakers. The first-person story unfolds in a loud, brash tone, with lots of sound effects and descriptions of the truck's operational procedures, augmented by creative type treatments and a superb design that always shows the truck moving through the night from left to right. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations in a dark palette help create the moody nighttime setting, illuminated by the irresistible influence of this nocturnally noshing narrator's personality. Preschoolers and kindergartners who are fascinated by trucks and trash will eat this up. (Picture book. 3-7)