Sick Simon

October 15, 2014
Krall's latest is a disgusting, tongue-in-cheek lesson in contagiousness. Simon loves school so much that even a cold (with its attendant snotty nose) won't keep him home. He kisses his family and boards the bus, proceeding to vomit out the window on the way: "He...had fun the whole way," the text understates. The merest contact or proximity leads others to suddenly, and unrealistically, sport Simon's symptoms. The week includes show-and-tell, a zoo field trip, a game of kickball and a child-free bus on Friday afternoon, all the children having finally succumbed to his illness. The three germs that have been following him around all week finally introduce themselves and high-five him for being such a "germ hero." Horrified, Simon does his best to stop their spread, washing his hands, covering his mouth, resting and hydrating, though the same cannot be said for one classmate on Monday morning. Krall's illustrations work in the ick factor, his Photoshopped characters sporting oozing and dripping poison-green noses as each comes into contact with Simon. Careful observers may spot the colorful germs before they introduce themselves, but even those who don't will want to go back and try to find all their appearances. Though the science is not particularly solid, the message is an important one, and with the level of gross in the illustrations, it is sure to get through to young audiences. (Picture book. 4-8)

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December 1, 2014

Gr 1-3-Simon receives a hero's medal from some germs after he relentlessly passes his messy cold to his family, friends, and school acquaintances. When he learns the ways he's contracted and spread the malady, he begins proper hygiene and recovers, as do his victims, until another child with a runny nose enters the classroom. Readers who relish the gross humor at the beginning may balk at the didactic climax and resolution. The author's big-head Photoshop cartoons reveal his background in television animation. This style is also evident in the all-round hyperbole. Mucus gushes from noses, Simon vomits out of the school bus window, and a giant protozoa brags about his gift of diarrhea. Why the parents, teachers, or school nurse don't intervene remains a mystery. Educators may choose this title to reinforce health rules or prompt "ewwws" in the classroom.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2015
Preschool-G Simon loves school, and he can't wait to get there on Monday, even if he has a cold! He hugs his family (they cringe). He rides the bus (everyone cowers). He gets to feed the class chinchilla (the furry creature recoils). Undaunted by his drippy nose or the chartreuse miasma in his wake, Simon happily goes about his week. But as he gets closer to Friday, he notices that all of his classmates and most of his teachers are gone. All that remains are some sneaky germs who thank him for his admirable service to their cause and proclaim him the germ hero. Krall's chipper narrative detailing Simon's oblivious good cheer about being in school is in delightful contrast to the grotesque illustrations of his sloppy symptoms. In putrid colors and with an over-the-top attention to snot, Krall's illustrations depict every slimy, crusty detail, reminiscent in the best kind of way of a Ren & Stimpy cartoon. Simon learns a valuable lesson about hygiene, of course, but it's the yuck factor that will get kiddos giggling.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Simon, oblivious to his own poor hygiene, spreads his cold to his teacher and classmates. He meets three germs (Virus, Protozoa, and Bacteria) whose adoration ("You're a germ hero!") helps Simon realize that his bad habits negatively affect others. The narrative, though somewhat didactic, teaches an important lesson about hygiene, while Krall's putrid-colored, snot-adorned Photoshop cartoons will have young children giggling.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)