Lara, in particular, is very fond of Catherine Rayner's book, Ernest, in which a little friend struggles to get Ernest the moose onto one page of a book. Lara was very excited to find that Catherine Rayner's new book, Smelly Louie, is out now.
Louie is a scraggeldy raggeldy dog who really doesn't like baths. Baths smell of roses and apple blossom but Louie wants to smell of... Louie. This dog on a mission goes in search of that certain something that will restore his own particular pong.
On his journey, Louie the dog is helped by a few animal friends to find the stinkiest of stinks for Louie to roll around in but still Louie can't quite get his own smell back. What is it that Louie is still lacking in the stink department?
Smelly Louie features beautiful sketches and watercolours of animals that really help to set the stinky, smelly, raggedy scene for the story. Holly especially likes the fox who has a dark coat with a fresh white face. Lara likes the stinky bins that make her go "eeeew" every time she sees them.
There is something very appealing to children about smells, dirt and disgusting-ness and despite wrinkling up their noses when I read Smelly Louie to them, both of my girls giggle each time Louie finds another stinky option.
We loved this book and I think it will become as much of a bedtime picture book favourite as Ernest.
