Book of the Week: "Who's Making That Smell" by Philip Hawthorn and Jenny Tyler

This week's book is just plain silly. It's a "lift the flap" book called Who's Making That Smell?, written by Philip Hawthorn and Jenny Tyler, illustrated by Stephen Cartwright. 

I love this book! It follows big brother Ben and baby sister Annabel on a scented journey around their house. While it may sound like a "scratch and sniff" book, you'll be so glad it isn't! Ben and Annabel encounter a monkey painting the closet pink, a hippo arranging roses, a mud-covered dog, a panda using furniture polish, and a polar bear baking bread. What a crazy house! The story closes in a way that all big brothers and sisters will appreciate... the familiar smell of Annabel in need of a diaper change.

Hawthorn and Tyler's rhyming riddles pair nicely with Cartwright's illustrations. The characters are absolutely charming with their rosy cheeks and clever speech bubbles. Ben is forever claiming his innocence, while Annabel's are filled with appropriate "goo-goos" and "ga-gas". Little ones get a kick out of opening the doors and lifting the curtains to discover which animal is making the smell on each page. It's definitely a little-fingers-friendly book. Older readers will enjoy searching for the tiny mouse and rubber duck hidden on each page. It's a really fun read!

See if you can figure out Who's Making That Smell? this week at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Miss Becca's Open Play Story Time!