The Most Serious Fart

by Mike Bender, Mike Bender

The Most Serious Fart is a seriously fun children's illustrated picture book about not taking ourselves so seriously.

Meet Siegfried, a most serious fart who is sick and tired of farts being a laughing matter. When he sets out on a most serious mission to change the fart as we know it, he ends up learning to embrace his fartness and the fun and friendship that come with it. The book also includes over 300 hidden butts from legendary Highlights Hidden Pictures illustrator, Chuck Dillon.

Featured on episode 2 of Bedtime Stories with Ryan (Reynolds) !

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"Hilarious and thought-provoking, with wonderful illustrations. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but these farts are clever, funny and gorgeous."
-Stuart Gibbs, author of New York Times bestselling Spy School , FunJungle , Charlie Thorne , Moon Base Alpha and The Last Musketeer .

“This book is a real gas!”
-Amy Sedaris

"I would’ve laughed myself silly as a kid reading this book. Also, full disclosure, I laughed myself silly as a grownup reading this book. A work of fart!"
-Brad Montague, creator of the hit web series Kid President , author of Becoming Better Grownups , and the New York Times bestsellers Kid President's Guide to Being Awesome and The Circles All Around Us. 

“Some stories are silent but deadly boring… but this isn’t. It’s a ripping blast that will leave you lingering in laughter.”
-Steve Lavigne, illustrator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

“I must point out that obviously, I never fart. And certainly not in front of my boyfriend. But when I do, it’s hilarious… just like this book."
-Karen McCullah, screenwriter Ten Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde

“This book is delightful.  It's hilarious.  The art is stunning.  And, something I thought I'd never say about a book with a fart in the lead, it's got a wonderful message.”
-Brian Lynch, screenwriter The Secret Life of Pets, Minions, Puss in Boots , and Hop

"This book, like its subject matter, delivers the goods– funny, warm, and over 300 hidden butts!? Genius."
- Jake Parker, illustrator of the New York Times bestselling The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man  and creator of Inktober

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 3, 2023

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good beginning. Runs out of gas by the end.

[Rubani K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend recommended this book and I debated whether or not to put it on my good reads but w/e life is short! I loved reading this. It made me giggle at every page. The puns were spectacular and the illustrations were just so cute! I think the name for the fictional location of Rumpsville is probably what did me in the most 😂 This just confirms I indeed have a sense of humour of a 5yr old 🤸🏻‍♀️

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me giggle so much! A fun read!

[Bow · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute and funny with great illustrations. I love that it's written in rhyme and I didn't want it to end. Definitely brought me joy and I think any child or fun loving adult would enjoy this little book 🍑💨

[Jester, King's Favorite Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siegfried is not like other farts. He's a serious fart that listens to Beethoven and carries a briefcase. But farts aren't being taken seriously. Even children are laughing at it. Siegfried goes to the board of old farts. He wants to change the name of farts to Farfloofity.

At first, I didn't want to read this because farts are gross and not funny. But it's a short picture book, so why not (🤷)? It's a hilarious rhyming story. The fart fog is gross, but the art is still neat. The story would have been more popular, but, well, it's about farts…

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.

[Aliyah Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was hilarious. I believe children would find this hilarious and crack up, especially with a read aloud. It includes rhyming, but there are big words children may have a hard time with. And references like Beethoven children won't understand. This book would be better suited for older children. Overall, I enjoy the message of the book to not take things so seriously and live life.

[Josh Helmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about reading this book but I thought I would just let one rip. As an adult I will admit this book made me laugh out loud. It is very clever. The art is appropriately gross, it has the feeling of a fart smacked right on the page. The rhymes are pretty stinking good. Overall a very silly read about not taking life... Or farts too seriously.

[Rella B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had an absolute blast reading this story! It’s about a serious fart who sets out on a mission to change how farts are viewed, but ends up embracing his fartness and making friends along the way. The illustrations are stinking cute, and the plot is both witty and hilarious. It's a very funny read that reminds us not to take life too seriously.

[Emma Marten · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a serious Fart who wants to be taken seriously. He was tired of the way people thought about them; he wanted a change. In the end, he embraces himself and makes friends around him. The message from this book is to not take life so seriously. I wouldn't personally read this book in the classroom, but I do think it's a fun humor book to have for children.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The farts want to keep the tradition and knows how to have fun.
I hate to say this, but I like the art.
It was a good start, but felt flat as the story goes on. The author tried to save the story at the end though.

[Jessica Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite!!!!

This is without a doubt my very favorite book to read with my kids!! It’s so cute and we love looking for the hidden butts!! My kids now formally call their roots farfloofity with glee! I enjoy this book as much as they do!!

[Allison Turkish · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has some fun humor that adults will get more than most kids, I think... especially the verbs like "ripped."

There are humorous parts of the book but overall didn't make me laugh out loud. I think kids will enjoy looking for the "over 300 hidden butts."

[Lena In Bookland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with my niece and nephew and I think it would be rather wonderful to have a fart that sounded like Beethoven's 5th symphony, or smelled of mint; we enjoyed this story of, The Most Serious Fart and think you would too.

[vanessa wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

The book was very funny way of explaining fart to kids i guess look the book still would recommend for kids lol

[Bree Sotirovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

We had to buy this book! Searching for the hidden butts was just enough fun. The story has rhyming words, cute farting cloud characters, Beethoven! What more do you need in a story?

[kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

not even funny

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Everything is what I liked! My favorite part was when he got happy happy happy at the end” - Lucas

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting something else, but love all of the hidden butts!

[Amanda Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious. If I had a little one in my life I would buy this and read it every night.

[Michael Lent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and funny!

[Kaitlyn Marie]

p

[Fatima Seraj Alam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course my 5 year old would pick this book up. A ha ha hilarious read.

[Natasha Roslosnik · Rating 2 out of 5]

The class thought this was a hilarious book - so in that regard it served its purpose of entrainment. I was not a fan.

[Hákon Gunnarsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had some fun reading this to “the rear end”.

[Suzanne Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to me by Ryan Reynolds via Nickelodeon. Despite the topic, 'twas a fun story.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and original story concept that is sure to draw laughs from littles. (The subtext of this story, which would go over most kids' heads, is a bit problematic. The idea of "if nobody agrees with your ideas, just follow the crowd" is potentially troubling).

[Jess Noe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful and whimsical book that appeals to both children and adults. I found myself laughing just as much as my children! Perfect for story-time, it has excellent illustrations that young readers will love.

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute, all the way to The Rear End!