Fartiste- Written by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

“I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you different.”

-Kurt Vonnegut, American Author

A hysterical, true story about a Frenchman named Joseph Pujol, who’s life work consisted of putting on a grand show in none other than the famous Moulin Rouge. Now Pojol was no ordinary act. I guess you can say he was a one-of-a-kind act as his show consisted of the utmost, controlled, LOUDEST, and on command…FARTS! He was deemed, as only the French would say, a professional FARTISTE!

John Pujol grew up in the town of Marseille. He figured out at the young age of eight that he had a true talent for farting! He blew them in the swimming pool, while on duty in the army for all to hear (and smell!), and dare I say, out the window of his bakery while serving up tarts and baguettes! It didn’t matter where he was, his farts always followed.

Now there were many members in his family and he decided to become a night performer, singing and clowning around town to help pay the bills. People loved him. But it was his artful skill of farting, literally blasting farts out of his own bum, that he was known as…

“One day a baker with butter and yeast, and the next-voila-he was Joe, the FARTISTE.”

Joe’s greatest performance would be his show stopping performance at the Moulin Rouge, where famous artists, presidents, kings, and queens would come to see his show. Most importantly, he commanded the attention of his fellow frenchmen with exploding laughter.

Krull and Brewer tell the hilarious tale of yes, a real person who’s farts were actually a freak ability to control the muscles of his intestines…so much so, that with a great deal of practice, allowed him to fart on demand, which was the essence of his jaw dropping show.

The story is fun, delightful, and completely unexpected. On every page awaits exciting entertainment and shock, just as the reader were part of his real audience. The illustrations are alive , whimsical, and add to the playfulness of this story. Children in the primary to middle school, and adults alike, will fall in love with this ridiculous, rhyming story of a man who was a professional FARTISTE. By far, one of the funniest stories I’ve read. This deserves a round of applause for it’s imagination, plot, humor, and creative wit. The book’s audience will no doubt, be desiring an ENCORE!

To learn more about Kathleen Krull, visit her website.

To learn more bout Boris Kulikov, visit his website.