A Toot in the Tub
Nicolette Little, illustrated by Tara Fleming
Flanker Press
(Ages 4-9)

A young boy proudly proclaims, “I really must say, I’m a well-behaved boy!” and goes on to describe the many ways in which he goes out of his way to be helpful and kind to others: helping the neighbours with assorted chores; raking and sweeping up leaves and weeds for dad; being kind to all creatures. 

But his wild side emerges whenever he finds himself relaxing in the tub where—you guessed it—he simply can’t resist the urge to toot. He revels in the sheer joy of “foofing a big foof in the bath,” delighting in the sounds he can make and watching the big bubbles he creates. So while he encourages readers to remember that being a good person and helping those in need is always the most important thing, he also reminds us all of the need for laughter and good, clean fun.

This rollicking and joyful ode to bath-time shenanigans from Nicolette Little is sure to inspire gales of laughter in its intended audience, for whom the mere mention of “tooting” and “foofing” is bound to cause bouts of snickering.

The bouncy rhyming couplets flow smoothly as they keep leading back to a slightly-different-each-time refrain extolling the virtues of tub-time tooting.  Tara Fleming’s watercolour illustrations perfectly capture the playful tone of the text, cheerfully depicting our ever-thoughtful protagonist in his daily endeavours as well as his utterly blissful enjoyment of bath time.

Brightly coloured with expressive facial expressions, they capture a sense of energy and exuberance. Together, the words and images will conspire to keep young readers giggling.