Favourite By A Long Nose

The Age

Saturday March 25, 2006

DIANNE DEMPSEY

BOOK REVIEW: Aristotle's Nostril By Morris Gleitzman Puffin, $14.95

It takes a special touch to create a snot universe, Dianne Dempsey writes.

GETTING THE ADMIRATION OF young readers is not as simple as using words such as bum, snot or poo. Anybody can dish out crudities; the trick is to couch the words in a witty context, as is the case with Morris Gleitzman's Aristotle's Nostril. Aristotle is in fact a germ whose universe is a nostril. By having Aristotle living in snot-land Gleitzman has constructed a situation ripe with opportunities for fun and adventure.

Aristotle is 10 when the story starts - that's 10 hours, not 10 years, germs don't live all that long. Gleitzman connives to give the short people a biology lesson that they barely even notice - but the erudition is always strictly sub-text.

The main story concerns Aristotle's desire to laugh and joke and be happy. The society in which he lives bans all such nonsense - even birthday cakes. When Aristotle bucks the system once too often he and his brother Blob are banished from the nostril. Blob, by the way, is Aristotle's brother, as in they divided together. Whenever Blob starts to get panicky, Aristotle lies end to end with him so Blob can simulate the feeling of being whole again - a germ's version of getting back to the womb.

After they're banished, Aristotle and Blob make a huge discovery - there's another nostril out there which looks very much like the one they've come from.

Parents and librarians around the nation worship Gleitzman for seducing their children to the world of words and books. And they trust him, for alongside the humour he is consistently compassionate and persistently optimistic.