Hobgoblin and the Seven Stinkers of Rancidia

Gr 2-5–Have you ever read one of the Grimms’ fairy tales and said, “This is good, but there’s not enough fart jokes in here?” Hobgoblin is the stinkiest in all the land and must flee into the forest or face punishment (a bath) by King Fiddlefart. Following the plot of “Snow White” point by point, Hobgoblin then meets seven magical creatures who help him evade capture. Fans of Dav Pilkey and similar authors may eat this up, as there are plenty of gross-out gags throughout. But most readers will miss the lack of wit and puns that often accompany those well-rounded works; this title, by comparison, is disappointingly one-note. Though there are some clever allusions to the movie adaptation of “Snow White,” most jokes fall flat. The art does help elevate the text, as the cartoonish design makes the characters much more endearing.