On the nose by Robert Favretto

cover image

Ill. by Kevin Burgemeestre. Morris Publishing, 2014. ISBN 9780987543479.
(Age: 7-12) Recommended. If you have a nose for a good story this could just be the one for you but you need the good scents to pick it up. And be warned... the author has taken plenty more opportunities to play with words related to noses and smells.
Justin Credible is the hero of this story about smells, odours and all things nasal. In fact Justin has an incredible sense of smell which goes with his incredibly long nose. Having honed his skills by collecting an amazing array of jars each containing a nasty odour and achieving fame at school by solving the problem of the revolting gas leak, he is recruited by the DNA (Department of Nasal Affairs as a detective.
After training, led by Sergeant Sinus, he is given a 'licence to smell' and with his driver and body guard Len D'Hand embarks on his first mission to catch a skunk thief. Soon after, he is called in by the Mayor of Aroma City, Willy Winn to save the city from a terrible stench.
The face paced story is a mixture of clever references to all things smelly and names with double meanings which will delight that group of students which have become aware of the delights of playing with language. The black and white pictures interspersed throughout, which highlight the extreme length of Justin's nose, added to the short length of the story, help make the story funny and accessible for the most reluctant reader.
Sue Keane

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