We hold this truth to be self-evident: farting makes kids laugh. Walter, an apologetic-looking dog adopted from the pound, passes gas morning, noon, and night, no matter what he eats, whether it's a 25-pound bag of low-fart dog biscuits, cat food, or fried chicken. On the bright side, "If Uncle Irv let one slip, he just went and stood near Walter." When Father reaches the limit of his patience with Walter's flatulence, he decides the pooch is once again pound-bound, despite Betty and Billy's pleading. Poor Walter knows his days are numbered and "He resolved to hold in his farts forever." That very night, two burglars break into Walter's family's house, and (you can see where this is going) Walter gasses the burglars with a "hideous cloud" that forces them to drop their loot and run into the clutches of the police officers, "choking and gasping for air." The next morning Father and Mother discover Walter has saved the day--or at least their silverware and VCR. "And so the family learned to live with Walter, the hero dog. And that is the end of our tail." (Or is it? Fans will be pleased to discover the next book Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale.) Audrey Colman's highly stylized illustrations, imbued with a surreal, Monty Pythonesque collage look, are as absurdly comical as this silly story that is purely powered by natural gas. (Ages 5 to 8) --Karin Snelson