View source for Smelly Louie by Catherine Rayner

{{infobox2
|title=Smelly Louie
|author=Catherine Rayner
|reviewer=Rachael Spencer
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-0230742505
|pages=32
|publisher=Macmillan Children's Books
|date=July 2014
|aznuk=1447271807
|aznus=0230742505
|cover=1447271807
|website=
|video=
|summary=Louie is usually a very smelly dog, but his owner has given him a bath, oh no! Join Louie as he splashes around the neighbourhood in search of his smell in this wonderful book from the author who has brought us so many delightful picture books.
}}

'''Shortlisted for the 2015 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal'''

Louie is a smelly dog, until his owner gives him a bath. Suddenly everything is wrong and Louie doesn't smell like himself any more. Will he be able to find his own smell again? Let's hope so! 

Catherine Rayner has been around for quite some years now and she remains ever popular, and rightly so. She has a wonderful way of delivering satisfying stories along with absolutely beautiful artwork. This is no exception.

This aims at a slightly younger audience than some of Rayner's titles, having a bit less of a moral to it in favour of an entertaining stomp through the bins and sludge with Louie, a dog in search of his smell. The illustrations are, as ever, absolutely superb and the kind of images I'd happily have on my wall as well as in a picture book for kids. There is a real sense of life in these richly coloured watercolours, and I can imagine that each animal has been studied carefully before being captured on the page here.

It is an incredibly simple idea for a story, but written perfectly to capture the imaginations of all reading, and though it is not an intricate story, it is written with good humour and a real sense of warmth. This is something I always admire in Rayner's work, I always feel that her works will last for a long time and actually mean something to those who read them. I can pretty much guarantee that if I gave this book to anybody of any age, it would go down well because I feel that Rayner understands beautifully how to tell simple stories well, and what effect story telling can have on an audience. 

I think this book not only makes a nice read, but equally a perfect present along with any of her other books. Enjoy it as a lovely bedtime story, and treasure it for many years to come.

If you like Rayner's books for younger readers, then [[Ernest by Catherine Rayner|Ernest]] should be your next stop,  or how about trying [[Penguin by Polly Dunbar]] for something a bit different?

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