Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-2. When Snake Gulf's sheriff is away, it falls to his daughter, Deputyess, to protect the town from bad guys. As it turns out, her authority also extends to bad- smelling guys--like the four reeking cowboys who arrive and blanket the town in a putrid haze. How willess force them into compliance with the town's No-Stink Law?ids will giggle over her misfires and cheer her eventual triumph, even as they sympathize with the offenders' mantra, No baths today! No baths tomorrow! No baths ever! Beginning readers may need help with some of the trickier Wild West vocabulary, but they'll enjoy Smith's colorful prose (the stench is like a cowpie inuly ) and her use of every possible variation on the word stink. To further extend the humor, Thiesing's watercolors cast dogs in all the roles--which, considering canines' sensitive sniffers and odiferous tendencies, makes perfect, silly sense. An on-target addition to the Dial Easy-to-Read series. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Deputy Jess and her Aunt Gussy, two dogs dressed in western garb, are doing a fine job taking care of the town of Snake Gulch while Jess's dad, the sheriff, is away. They have stopped bank robbers, a cattle stampede, and even a group of rowdy students at a spelling bee. However, they meet their match when a gang of foul-smelling cowboys arrives. Although they have an odor so strong that even the stinkbugs leave, the rustlers refuse to take a bath. Jess and the rest of the townspeople try numerous silly ways to rid Snake Gulch of its stink, finally coming up with a satisfying solution. This delightful beginning reader is filled with repetition and humor. Watercolor illustrations depicting dirty dogs in cowboy clothing with a brown cloud hovering above add to the enjoyment. Pair this with Amy Timberlake's The Dirty Cowboy (Farrar, 2003) for some good clean fun.-Anne Knickerbocker, formerly at Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Deputy Jess is holding down the fort in Snake Gulch until her sheriff dad returns. A gang of the dirtiest, smelliest cowboys around comes to town refusing to bathe. Deputy Jess's plan spares the town from the cowboys' stink cloud, while freshening everything up. This easy-to-read twist on an Old West tall tale features pleasant art with a cast of friendly canine cowboys. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Deputy Jess and her aunt Gussy have been left in charge of Snake Gulch by Jess's father, the Sheriff. Usually that would be no problem because there's no quieter town on the frontier. On this day, however, a cattle drive comes to town, and the cowpokes smell worse than their cows. Jess and Gussy explain the no-stink law, but the cowboys would rather spend their five cents on candy and root beer than a bath. Jess and Gussy haul them in, but a stink cloud gathers and threatens the town. Jess's ingenuity cleans up Snake Gulch. Smith applies the same gentle, wry humor she used in the Wizard and Wart books to the Wild West to good effect. Thiesing's cartoon, watercolor-and-pencil puppy people are a perfect match. Pair this with Amy Timberlake's Dirty Cowboy (2003) to satisfy any grimy little cowpoke. Young readers will be seeking sequels. (Easy reader. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
