Aaron Blabey, Busting, Scholastic Australia, March 2017, 24pp., $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781743812389
The potty-humour phase is in full swing in our house at the moment. That’s right, every joke and every made-up song has something to do with the toilet. And so, this latest offering from Aaron Blabey is met with shrieks of laughter from the four-year-old at every reading.
Blabey is a master of rhyme and humour and here we meet Lou who is busting for the loo, but finds the loo has quite a queue. A rollicking, and slightly revolting, hunt for a toilet ensues. It’s one we can all relate to, especially those of us with children who love announcing at inopportune moments that they need the toilet.
Yes, there are plenty of toilet-humour books out there, but Blabey’s clever use of language and signature twist at the end make this beauty a stand-out choice. Teachers are sure to have a captive audience if they choose to use it for discussions about language, rhythm and rhyme.
Reviewed by Penny Harrison
