Bubbles the Zooting Tooting Manatee product reviews

It can never be said too often - farts are funny! When you are a toddler, they are funny. When you are at primary school, they are still funny. And even - dare I say it? - many adults find them funny too; it is impossible to stifle laughter when a four-year-old is giggling hysterically about what has just happened. It is not just human farts that are funny; dogs and cats do it regularly as well, something that every pet owner can attest to. So do cows! But until I read this book, I had not really thought about manatees in this context. But now that I have, I find it amazing that they actually harness their flatulence and use it as a flotation aid. I guess it puts a whole new perspective upon the power of natural gas!

Both children loved the book from the moment they first saw it. Mr One, while unable as yet to follow the story, was captivated by the bold, bright graphics, He also liked it when his mother and older sister made appropriate sounds as they read the text together. It will not be long before he too is able to understand the story as well; in the meantime, he can admire the pictures and enjoy their energy.

Miss Four, on the other hand, was completely on board with the story of Bubbles and her rebellion against the somewhat proper family she had been born into. Instead of moving gracefully, propelling herself slowly and coordinating her wind to control direction, Bubbles finds that eating extra seagrass will produce explosive farts that will enable her to become a speed freak. Despite the disapproval of her snooty aunties and mortified mum, Bubbles refuses to slow down. Of course, it all turns out happily for her in the end.

There is a nice lesson in the book about being true to yourself and not letting your behaviour be dictated by others' expectations. Bubbles' zooting and tooting is not harming anyone else, so why not? It is important for young people to accept their own individuality and grow to become the person they want to be. It would be a very boring world if everyone turned out the same - and where would our leaders and inventors be if that were the case?

At the end of the book is a page of manatee facts which the children's mother and I found fascinating. Miss Four can understand most of these now; as Mr One gets older, he too will be fascinated to learn about these amazing creatures. It means that the book will be read over and over again as the children's verbal competence increases. It will not be very long before Miss Four is reading it to Mr One herself.