  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 12/01/2014 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 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 01/01/2015 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. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
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