Review: The Gas We Pass, The Story of Farts
By Shinta Cho

Farts are either funny or repulsive, depending on the crowd you typically associate with. However, the fact is that everyone has gas. It's just a part of life. That's what "The Gas We Pass" tries to tell us.

Don't let the book's title or the simplistic drawing of an elephant's rear that adorns the cover put you off. This book is simple, clear, and--thanks to the goofy drawings throughout--funny. In other words, it is a great way to educate a young child about what his body is up to.

I chose to review this book because I think it is advisable to satisfy children's curiosity rather than sweep potentially embarrassing subjects under the rug and label them as taboo. I would be willing to bet that nearly every kid on earth has screamed with laughter a time or two because of a particularly loud fart. My wife is an elementary school teacher and she has told me about the many times when a surprise toot from a child in the middle of a lesson sent the entire class into uncontrollable laughing fits. It would take her at least 10 minutes to get the students back under control. Do the kids know what a fart is, though, besides loud and stinky?

Kids won’t be the only ones to learn a thing or two from The Gas We Pass. The book starts off with a direct, but entertaining breakdown of what causes farts. Then you can learn how much gas the average person passes in a day, why a patient farting after an operation is something a doctor looks forward to, and what foods cause the smellier farts.

Apparently Kane/Miller Book Publishers has no problem filling the "gross stuff" book niche. The publisher produces a nice little series called the My Body Science Series that features titles like: All About Scabs, Breasts, Everyone Poops, and Contemplating Your Bellybutton. Now that would be an interesting stack of books to see on a kid's bookshelf at home!

This book is highly recommended by my 8-year-old son. Honestly, though, he might not have learned much on the first read through because he was having such a good time pointing and laughing at all the drawings of people and animals farting. The second time around I think he actually paid attention to the words. After the third time, he actually learned a thing or two.

This is a light, entertaining, informative book appropriate for all ages. And, yes, it even makes for a good gag gift for the notorious adult tooters you know.

Book Specifications
32 pages
Paperback $6.95
ISBN 1-929132-15-8
Publication: 1994, Kane/Miller Book Publishers

May 24, 2003