Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere (Olga, 1)

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About Olga And The Smelly Thing From Nowhere

Product Description A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year! Meet Olga, the amazing child scientist who LOVES animals (because they are super-cute)! Brightly put this heavily illustrated don't-miss book on their "Ultimate Summer Reading List for 9- to 12-Year-Olds." Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere is jam-packed with fun: vibrant illustrations, word bubbles, quirky humor, olgamus facts, and plenty of excitement for readers who love making discoveries and meeting new friends. Olga is a charming combination of independent, curious, and smart—making her the coolest girl scientist around—perfect for fans of Dork Diaries and Captain Underpants. When Olga crosses paths with a weird creature and becomes the first kid to discover the species olgamus ridiculus, she is ecstatic! What does an olgamus eat? How does it poop? Why does its burp sound like the word rubber? With her trusty observation notebook and the help of a librarian, a shopkeeper, and some friends, Olga sets out to do science—learning the facts about her smelly, almost-furry pal and searching for him when he goes missing. The scientific method is the best way to discover anything! From School Library Journal Gr 2–5—Olga is a socially awkward, animal-loving kid scientist (and an expert on animal poop). She finds that critters are far more interesting than people. In fact, Olga's only friend is the spider that lives under the bathroom sink, but he is not very cuddly and doesn't talk much. Luckily for Olga, she discovers an unknown creature that she dubs olgamus ridiculus, otherwise know as Meh. Olga embarks on a quest to understand her new friend better, but that leads her away from the safe haven of her home. As Olga tries to learn what her new pet eats, she meets some interesting people, a far cry from the irritating ones she normally encounters. For fans of "Dork Diaries" and "Captain Underpants," Olga will be a big hit. The story is embedded with comical illustrations, speech bubbles, charts, and pictures showing Olga's quirky and sometimes judgmental personality. Kids will devour the toilet humor along with the quick one-liners Olga throws out. As readers get deeper into the plot, themes of peer pressure and being oneself emerge, giving the goofy tale a little depth. VERDICT Chuckle-worthy and fun, this is a great purchase for fans of heavily illustrated chapter books.—Brittney Kosev, Honey/Rush Elementary, Lubbock, TX Review “Great, kooky, monstrous fun!” — Jim Benton, bestselling author of Franny K. Stein “An apt readalike for fans of Wimpy Kid, and Gravel deploys spot art, larger illustrations, word balloons, and chunks of text with great success in the layout.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “A visually interesting mix of illustration and story, punctuated by numerous lists, comic panels, and cartoon diagrams and led by a smart female protagonist. A bubble-gum crowd pleaser with wide audience appeal.” — Kirkus Reviews “This laugh-out-loud book is a perfect pick for transitioning readers with a penchant for silly stories, or graduates of the Fly Guy series.” — Booklist “Researching the creature she dubs Meh fills Olga’s days with purpose and her notebook with hilarious quips (”He doesn’t like it when I put a sock on his head.... He’s really scared of bananas”), which Gravel captures in her signature brand of chunky cartooning, accented with red.” — Publishers Weekly “Readers will get lots of laughs out of the steady stream of gross-out jokes, as well as Olga’s misanthropic humor, though her attitude toward humans softens slightly by book’s end.” — Publishers Weekly “[An] obvious sell to fans of animals, but it will also hit a humorous note with anybody who has felt a little left behind by these things we call humans.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “For fans of Dork Diaries and Captain Underpants, Olga will be a big hit. Kids will devour the toilet humor along with the quick one-liners Olga throws