Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Stink: Solar System Superhero
Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds
Fiction Series
For ages 6 to 8
Candlewick, 2013 ISBN: 978-0763664251
Stink is in trouble. He has a test tomorrow and for the test he has to learn the nine planets. He knows that the one person who can save him is his big sister, Judy. Hopefully she will be in a good mood, a “help-your-little-brother-study-for-his-test” kind of mood.
Judy does help Stink but, unfortunately, the trick she teaches him to help him learn the planets does not help Stink on test day. It turns out that the planet Pluto has been demoted and is no longer considered a planet, and no one saw fit to tell Stink about this dire state of affairs.
Being small for his age, Stink feels an affinity for the little planet that scientists are downgrading. It just isn’t fair, and the fact that the class smart girl, Riley Rottenberger, is set against Pluto makes Stink even more annoyed. The two children begin a heated argument, which is when their teacher, Mrs. D, steps in. Mrs. D. suggests that the class should debate the issue. Two teams, one led by Stink and one led by Riley, will argue whether or not Pluto should be considered a planet.
With determination and a great deal of enthusiasm the two teams get to work. Both Stink and Riley and think they are right, but can they convince the class to vote in support of their opinion?
In this often funny book Stink Moody has to learn how to defend something he believes in. He does not always go about things the right way, but he always means well, which does count for a lot.
Readers who have read about Stink’s other adventures are going to appreciate how the undersized little boy who loves bad smells and guinea pigs finds a way to express himself in a meaningful way.
