Have you ever read a book and thought “that was a real stinker?” I just have, it was a children’s book all about POO! Yes, I know how to live, spending my time reading sh*t books. Now that’s out of the way, it wasn’t a terrible book, it was actually an excrement, sorry I mean excellent, dung-tastic graphic novel that was fun, engaging and very educational. It might never make number one, but it will always be number two, or worst case, turd on the list. What is this foul book about bodily waste, well its Journey to Poo-topia by James Turner and Steve May, the first book in the Poo Crew Adventures series of graphic novels for children age 7+. And if you are looking for something educational and fun, this book certainly does the jobbie.
When it comes to kids and humour, farting, poo and general toilet humour have always held a weird fascination (and for the adults reading, while most won’t admit it, they love it too). When poo and the world of graphic novels collide, you get a big mess – not really, you get a reading matter that a majority of kids are going to love reading, yes even the reluctant ones.
Graphic novels are not so text heavy and are laid out like comic books, bringing the stories they tell to life in bright vivid colour, with fun characters that show every facial expression for every mood, and action sequences that practically move across the pages. So, when a graphic novel like Poo Crew Adventures – Journey to Poo-topia plops into your hands, it’s very hard not to dive in nose-first (into the book that is, not a pile of steaming patties – at least I hope not!).
Journey to Poo-topia, the first book in the Poo Crew Adventures series, is a graphic novel series suitable for children age 7+. It is written by James Turner and illustrated by Steve May. A riot of silly adventures all about the brown and sticky toilet logs we are all friends with (and dump every day). But as well as being a riot of fun for young readers (which may or may not feign disgust among their parents and guardians), it is also overflowing with facts about poo, bodily functions, the reasons why we poo and what benefits it has!
Anyway, onto the book (although I must warn you, there probably will be more cringe-worthy poo references and puns). Let’s just jump straight in, and there is no need to hold your noses as it is a graphic novel not a scratch and sniff book. I’m on a roll with these toilet puns … a toilet roll! Boom! Boom! as Basil Brush would say – for our younger readers, he’s a fox not a toilet brush!
Let’s journey to Poo-topia! The Poo Crew Adventures – Journey to Poo-topia follows Ploppy, along with his guide, Professor Poo, together known as the POO CREW, on a quest to Poo-topia, a place where toilet humour and poo is a way of life.
Let’s meet the characters:
- Ploppy: An ordinary-looking poo with an extraordinary gift of the gab. His wide-eyed innocence makes him both endearing and hilarious as he discovers the digestive world around him.
- Professor Poo: A lab-coated, interdimensional expert on all faecal matters. With witty banter and a passion for science, he guides Ploppy (and young readers) through miles of intestines, stomachs, toilets and even the sewers.
This toilet dwelling adventure is packed with 173 colour pages, spread out over 8 fun chapters from the beginning in Making a Splash to the end of the cycle in Poo-topia. But the fun doesn’t stop there, it also has instructions on how to draw your excrement heroes, and as the book has some unfamiliar terms and words younger readers may be unfamiliar with, it has very handy glossary to explain what they mean. The story looks at the lifecycle of a poo and how important poo actually is; from a human waste product to growing new food.
This story starts with just another quiet day in the toilet bowl, in could be in a bathroom near you (or even your own). The story bursts into life with a big splash, I’m sure you can guess why. But while the poo is floating in the bowl, a poo-rtal is opened up and Professor Poo appears, he is the universes leading expert in poo science, and he is about to take our new expelled friend, Ploppy, on an fact-packed adventure and teach him all about the importance that poo plays.
Ploppy, alongside Professor Poo, embark on a journey that looks at how poo is created and its purpose: everything from the role food plays – how it is eaten, broken down, digested and discharged, everything from mouth to bum …. and beyond. It starts with looking at food types, chewing our food and then following its journey through the body looking at the roles teeth, saliva, tongue, throat, stomach, intestines and the rectum play in creating Ploppy. And the fun factual information doesn’t stop there, it looks at the role of toilets, their history and the sewage system (aka Poo-topia).
Packed with information, readers will also learn lots of fun facts such as snails have up to 12,000 teeth on their tongues (news to me) and that silk shirt you’re wearing, did you know that silk is actually a form of saliva made by silkworms, so you could say that you are wearing a shirt made of worm spit… eww! Readers will even uncover why stomachs makes that gurgling noise when hungry… and it’s not your stomach!
Overall, I found this book to be fun-dung-tastic, hilarious fun, informative and very educational – I learned some new things myself. This is one book that shouldn’t be dumped by the wayside. With the Poo Crews puns and slapstick antics there is enough toilet humour to keep young readers (and the adults) snorting (and possibly even farting) with laughter – sometimes being a little immature is the secret to having a lot of fun (and you can even learn a thing or poo two).
The text of the story, written by James Turner, is fun, engaging and easy to read, although there are some words younger readers may need help with (there is a glossary at the back to explain some of the more unfamiliar terms).
As this is a graphic novel we can’t forget the illustrations by Steve May, they really bring the story to life with the poo characters. The cartoon images are vibrant and colourful, a big bowl splash of cartoon brilliance, perfectly capturing every sequence. The pages are alive with engaging illustrations which keep even the most reluctant reader turning pages and reading the tale of Ploppy.
As fun as the story is, underneath all the fun and giggles, the educational value is exceptional. It takes a subject matter that most would probably turn their nose at up and puts a positive spin on it in a fun and easy way to understand. It looks at human and animal biology as well as what happens to things that get flushed down the toilet.
I love that it can engage readers of all abilities, including reluctant readers, with its silliness and fun storytelling, while still being very educational. Perfect for kids who love comics, toilet humour, or simply looking for a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this book is a must-flush… sorry, must-read! It has a clever mix of science, comic and toilet humour.
If you have never thought about how poo is made and what happens after “you’ve dropped the kids off at the pool” now you can in a fun, engaging way. It’s deserving of a pat, just not on the head or back!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £7.99 (Paperback)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
