Farty Marty
Marty the cat purrs from both ends. Mary Jane first notices strange sounds pop out of his tush at show-and-tell. The principal accuses him of being a skunk, and he gets the nickname Farty Marty. But it soon becomes clear that Marty’s pops are not of the everyday variety. Depending on his meal, he can expel an aria or a French love song. This, naturally, is a very marketable talent. And so kids are treated to the sight of Marty farting his way around the country (the funniest being Marty blinged out as rapper) and the world. All the fame results in the school being renamed for Marty and the suggestion that kids see if their pets have any talent in this area. Kellogg obviously had a ball with the illustrations. Everywhere you look, there’s another hilarious spoof—an elegant commercial for La Farte perfume; Marty singing atop the Sphinx while someone in the audience holds a sign that says Revive Cat Worship; at the Brandenburg Gate, with Marty tooting Ich bin ein Berliner. This one’s a blast. Preschool-Grade 1. --Ilene Cooper