Review by Booklist Review
Toby is having the best birthday ever, until he farts, which blows out his candles, and everyone laughs and calls him Toby Tootles. Face burning with embarrassment, he seeks out his grandmother to distract him from his gassy gaffe, but the whole day she toots more than him, from tiny toots to full blasts of gas! "Well, gas happens," she says. How could she not be mortified? Together, Toby and his gassy grandma learn that everyone has tooty moments; it's how you respond that's important. Told in muted pastels with an overtone of gaseous green, the rotund, anthropomorphic bunny and his animal friends are adorable enough to offset the "ewww" factor with a counterpoint "awww." There are some giggles, as one would expect in a book about flatulence, but this book doesn't intend to be more than it is: a sweet, accepting lesson on farting. And while the audience for this story is perhaps a bit narrow, the back matter includes a validation of childhood embarrassment with some coping mechanisms to help, which widens the scope.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A bunny named Toby learns how to handle embarrassment after he passes gas while preparing to blow out candles at his birthday party, prompting the nickname "Tootles." In pages that shift abruptly from festive opening scenes, Toby visits his grandmother in the hopes of forgetting his "gassy gaffe." As the pair embark on comforting activities including baking cookies, playing catch, and biking to the grocery store, Grandma repeatedly passes gas, causing Toby to relive his earlier feelings of discomfort. Even as nearby animals react dramatically (a squirrel drops its acorn stash upon witnessing one toot), Grandma shrugs, "Hey, gas happens," modeling an easy-going response that Toby soon has occasion to emulate. Sullivan's fine-lined cartoon illustrations display a complex range of facial expressions from Toby as he responds to his grandma's gassiness. The intergenerational relationship at the center of this sensitive story helps guide it to an instructive resolution. An author's note concludes. Ages 6--7. (Mar.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
"Gas happens!" Birthday boy Toby, a white rabbit, is in full celebration mode and ready to blow out his candles when something happens: He blows from the wrong end. His friends--a menagerie of animals--laugh and his sister calls him Toby Tootles. Humiliated, Toby spends time with his grandmother, a gray and white rabbit, and observes her having a few gassy gaffes herself. Unlike Toby, Grandma isn't concerned and tells him that "gas happens." When the pair are eating out at the end of the day, Toby needs to break wind once again and, remembering Grandma's advice, takes it in stride this time. A note from the author reminds readers that embarrassing moments happen to everyone and what matters is how we respond to them. Etiquette-minded caregivers and educators may be annoyed that Toby and Grandma don't excuse themselves when passing gas, but even the most adamant advocates for proper manners will have to agree that the story is pretty darn cute. The illustrations are largely to thank for this, as the round-bodied characters have expressive faces that perfectly capture their emotions, especially Toby's self-consciousness when toots are fired. The simple message is one that readers of all ages should embrace. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Three toots for an intrepid hero who conquers embarrassment with aplomb. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
