Farty Marty

K-Gr 2—Mary Jane's cat has a flatulence problem that causes her friends to call him Farty Marty. The cat's problem is offensive to all those around him, but the girl defends and loves him unconditionally. It is soon discovered that his gastric distress is becoming musical. "But how can this be?/Your cat eats French cheese…/and then plays Debussy?" He eats pasta then expels Italian love songs, "Te Amo, Te Amo." Mary Jane decides to take him on tour to showcase his talents and make money. In Boston, after some franks and beans, he starts with fireworks and ends with "Yankee Doodle Dandy." In other places his output is opera, country, and rap music. Mary Jane tours the feline worldwide. In France, perfume makers bottle his scent and call it "La Farte." The last page advises readers to listen to their pets. "Be delighted if you hear a gurgle or tweet./You might have a gold mine asleep at your feet." The illustrations are vintage Kellogg, and that is to say they are colorful, rich in detail, and energetically animated. But even the stellar artwork doesn't save this one-note offering.—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI