We Toot: A Feminist Fable About Farting is a picture book for children, grades k-3, written by Ashley Wheelock and Arwen Evans, and illustrated by Sandie Sonke. What could be more fun than a slumber party with all your best friends? The little girl in this story was thrilled to be invited to a friend’s party. They spent the night eating pizza, playing games and telling stories. Then they went to bed, each in her own sleeping bag. In the morning, everyone was ready to continue having fun until there was a noise...and a dreadful smell. Who did that? Suddenly the awfulness of that fart was all anyone could think about. As the girls in the room were assessing blame -- hoping they wouldn’t get it -- their friend came in. She was laughing and confessing. She did it! It’s natural and everyone does it. Suddenly everyone knew it was cool and not something to be embarrassed about. Their bodies make funny noises and that’s just fine.

We Toot: A Feminist Fable About Farting tells girls that it’s perfectly okay to fart, burp, sneeze, and hiccup -- it’s how bodies function. This book goes a long way to undo the damage caused by well-meaning elders who may tell girls that bodily functions and noises are not ladylike. I loved the warmth and solidarity those little girls feel when they get the message. I doubt that kids will be able to sit through a storytime reading of this book without a giggle or two, or even more. But the underlying message is sure to help readers gain a whole new perspective on things. The authors’ story is whimsical and fun, and Sandie Sonke’s brilliant and funny illustrations work perfectly with it. We Toot: A Feminist Fable About Farting is grand fun and it’s most highly recommended.

We Toot! A Feminist Fable About Farting is a light-hearted children’s picture book with a message of positive values. It is written by Ashley Wheelock and Arwen Evans and illustrated by Sandie Sonke. In it, a group of little girls has a slumber party together. When one of the girls accidentally farts, the others are upset and can’t find the culprit. Farting isn’t ladylike—it isn’t for girls—one of them insists. But the cause of this small catastrophe steps proudly forward to say she’s unashamed to fart even though she’s a girl. Bodies are to be celebrated and actions like hiccupping, burping and farting shouldn’t be treated more harshly just because they’re done by girls.

This children’s book has a good message deep inside it about being honest with yourself and with other people. Ashley Wheelock and Arwen Evans have put together a sincere and funny story about some very real little girls faced with a situation that, though simple, gives them an opportunity to start early on being open-minded towards others. We Toot! A Feminist Fable About Farting takes the embarrassment out of normal bodily situations by assuring children there’s nothing particularly different about being a girl! I liked the concept that conforming to artificial standards isn’t valuable—being a good person who supports other people and cares about them is what’s important. A story that puts a little rainbow and some sunshine on some happy girls who learn to help each other instead of engaging in a shower of criticisms. This book is a pleasant tool to use if you have a child who’s being judged by others.