The Skunk: A Picture Book

by Mac Barnett, Patrick McDonnell (Illustrator)

An Entertainment Weekly Best Kids' Book

When a skunk first appears in the tuxedoed man's doorway, it's a strange but possibly harmless occurrence. But then the man finds the skunk following him, and the unlikely pair embark on an increasingly frantic chase through the city, from the streets to the opera house to the fairground. What does the skunk want? It's not clear—but soon the man has bought a new house in a new neighborhood to escape the little creature's attention, only to find himself missing something...

This sly, hilarious tale brings together luminaries Mac Barnett and Patrick McDonnell for the first time.

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Storytime, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

Born to non-farmers in a California farming community, Mac Barnett now lives near San Francisco. He's on the board of directors of 826LA, a nonprofit writing center for students in Los Angeles, and he founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers.

Reviews

[Dream.M · Rating 3 out of 5]

خنده هیستریک

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Skunk was a book I bought as a baby shower gift, and man was it super fun and hilarious! I really liked this book, and the family I got it for was delighted as well. It's a great picture book with lots of hijinks and funny moments. It's lighthearted and easy to read as well. Definitely a great alternative book to the mainstream picture books to pick up, and have a good chuckle.

Four out of five stars!

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT DOES THAT SKUNK WANT?!?!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

به این کتاب ستاره زیادی نمیدم ولی قطعا میرم سراغ خوندن باقی کتاب های این نویسنده.
اولاش با اون مجموعه مربع و مثلث و دایره باهاش آشنا شدم، آشنا که... کتاب های کودک رندومی بودند که خوندم بعد رویا اون یکی کتابش رو معرفی کرد که زمین رو میکندن ببینن چه خبره و از اونجا بود که متوجه عجیب بودن نویسنده شدم.
این یکی کتاب... راستش نمیدونم برا رده سنی خودش شاید اینطور نباشه؛ ولی میخواست پارانویا رو بگه؟
عدم درک رو بگه؟
اون سیکل که همون کاری که بقیه میکنن و فکر می‌کنی آزار دهنده است خودت نسبت به یکی دیگه داری می‌کنی و آزارش میدیه؟
نمی‌فهمم چی میخواد بگه ولی مشتاق شدم برم سراغ باقی آثارش ببینم چی از جون مغز بچه ها میخواد.

[Justyn Rampa · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Hitchcock and Kafka wrote children's books, the would be something like this.

I think that is all I need to say.

I don't quite understand it, but it definitely sticks with you:-)

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

WHAT IS THIS BOOK EVEN ABOUT

[Hossein Bayat · Rating 3 out of 5]

من خیلی این داستان رو دوست داشتم، مثل داستان قبلی که از مک‌بارنت خوندم «آن پایین چه خبر است»
تنها چیزی که باعث میشه به این دو داستان‌ مک‌بارنت نمره بیشتری ندم، گروه سنی مخاطبینشه. هنوز چشمای برادرم یادمه که وقتی آن پایین چه خبر است رو براش خوندم شبیه علامت تعجب شده بود!
به نظرم یک راسو دنبالم افتاده می‌تونه یک انیمیشن کوتاه یا فیلم ۱۸۰ ثانیه‌ای خیلی خوب بشه!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

MAC BARNETT AND PATRICK MCDONNELL!!! Together in one book! I have been waiting and stalking book shelves for The Skunk ever since I heard the news.

This quirky tale of a skunk following a tuxedo clad man everywhere & anywhere he goes is brilliant in a quiet, sly kind of way. I’ve read it again and again. Flipping the neat, black and red pages to see it all. It makes me smile.

Is it a story about curiosity? Paranoia? Or is it all just for fun?

You decide.

I took away a--Don’t run away from the things that scare you without asking a few questions first-- message. :)

Highly recommended fun.

[معصومه توکلی · Rating 3 out of 5]

خیلی بامزه بود و من را کمی یاد آن داستان ابدی انداخت (مردی هست که عادت دارد با چتری بر سرم بکوبد)
ولی فکری شدم که یعنی چندساله‌ها این را درک می‌کنند؟

[Behi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute :[🥲🫂

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

That master of surreal picture-book amusement, Mac Barnett, returns with this entertaining example of the form. Finding a skunk on his doorstep one day, the man in this story attempts to sidestep his visitor and walk away, only to find himself pursued. No matter where he goes, the man in followed by the skunk - even into the opera house! Eventually moving house to escape this strange follower, the man discovers that now he can't get the skunk out of his mind, and he becomes the pursuer...

I finished The Skunk with quite a chuckle! As always with Barnett, who has produced such gems as Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem , I found the story quite entertaining. This seems to be his first collaboration with illustrator Patrick McDonnell, who usually works on his own picture-books, and I enjoyed the results. The artwork is quite expressive, and captures the oddball humor of the story quite nicely. Recommended to fans of either Barnett or McDonnell, and to anyone looking for quirky children's stories with unexpected endings.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the confused and agitated reviews about this picture book are really amusing to me: Is it a philosophical paradox? Is it a commentary on friendship and love? Is it just a meaningless riddle created by Satan to taunt us? WHAT DOES THE SKUNK WANT FROM US? TELL ME, DAMN YOU!

While adults on Goodreads may hate the story's ambiguity, I don't think "The Skunk" will cause any kids to lose sleep. In all likelihood, they will simply be entertained and amused by this enigmatically silly skunk story.

Mac Barnett is quickly becoming one of my favourite children's authors.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the anticipation built into this book. One wonders and wanders with this man who is followed and followed by a skunk, yes, a skunk! The prediction possibilities with young children will fill the discussion, and the surprise at the end, perhaps predictable by older children, but it is funny. The way Patrick McConnell illustrates reminds me of the older limited-color picture books, and the style is cartoon-like, sparse, and just enough.

[Essareh · Rating 4 out of 5]

داستان عجیبیه؛ ولی نمی‌دونم عجیب بودنش باعث می‌شه دیگه کتاب کودک نباشه یا چی.
بچه‌ها دنیا رو جور دیگه‌ای می‌بینن. از داستان‌ها چیزیو دریافت می‌کنن که ما نمی‌کنیم.
نمی‌دونم نگاه یه بچه به این کتاب چیه. دلم می‌خواد بدونم. به‌هرحال، اگر براش نامناسب باشه هم من دوستش دارم و می‌تونم کتاب بزرگسالی ببینمش که قالب کتاب کودک داره.

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many fun moments, I really didn't want it to end. I was enjoying it so much and didn't think the ending would be as enjoyable. That turned out to be true for me, but it is still fun to watch a man trying to get away from a skunk!

[The Book Consultant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know. I’m torn. This was kind of entertaining and whimsical. But also kind of….”what did I just read?!”. The art was simple but fun. The story….a little odd. I mean, it’s basically about a skunk following some guy around, then the guy following the skunk around after he stops? And the guy was so stressed about being followed initially that he moved….he literally sold his house and moved. It’s seeming more disturbing, actually, the more I’m thinking about it.

BUUUUUUT, my 6 year old son enjoyed it? And I guess he’s the target audience (right?!)? So…..3 stars and a shoulder shrug for this odd duck of a book.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different…yet it made the kids laugh…💗

[Halina Hetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Гумористична книжка про манію переслідування. Малюнки виконані в класичному стилі газетного комікса, що приємно бачити в сучасних дитячих книжках.

[Parisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

عجیب بود و کم کم داشت ترسناک میشد...و اونجایی که طرف رفت کلا یه خونه و زندگی نو ساخت مغزم سوت کشید رسما!!!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: When I left my house there was a skunk on my doorstep. I kept very still. I did not want to startle him. But the skunk did not seem scared. Slowly and carefully, I backed away and started down the street. The skunk started right after me. We walked together a few blocks.

Premise/plot: A man is followed by a skunk everywhere he goes. If you are looking for a picture-book to illustrate the concept of stalking, I guess I have a book for you?!

My thoughts: Libraries are important. They allow you to take home books and try them out. There are books that you just wouldn't be willing to take a chance on if you had to pay to read them. Books like The Skunk. Books that beg the question, does a book have to mean anything at all to be enjoyable? Does a book have to have layers of meaning, a message, in order to be worth reading and sharing?

Did I like The Skunk by Mac Barnett?!?! I can't say one way or the other. I will say that I liked the end papers. The end papers at the start of the book are black and white. The end papers at the end of the book are black and white with a RED bow tie. This goes well with the story--for by the end of the story, there's been a turn around. As for the plot and characters, well, it is what it is.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure silliness. Not surprising. It made me laugh a bit. I had my suspicions as to why he was followed, but that was never addressed. I think I'll try on the little kids and see if they get the humor.

3/30/16 Used in K is for theme--because it has 2 k's in it. They got a little of the humor of him being followed, and then the end where he was following the skunk. Some of the subtleties were lost, but that was expected. It still worked, and that's what I'm happy with.


5/1/17-5/4/17 Morningside Elementary visits. Read this in 4th grade (after Moo, since that was short) and Kindergarten. Enjoyed by 4th grade. K liked the story but I could tell missed a couple pieces of humor.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I'm projecting but this seems like a book about anxiety. It follows you everywhere, so much so that you feel lost without it.

But, in seriousness this is a fun read outloud. The color palette and the pace of the writing match this story of paranoia.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute and funny. The illustrations are spectacular. I love it!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

So strange and so silly! What does the skunk want? I feel like there's a hole in my life now. I'll never know the answer.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

March 23, 2019:
Cute. My son laughed at the plot twist.

March 2026:
I read this with a disabled woman I care give for, and she lived it, laughing at the funny parts.

[Sheila · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uh... is this schizophrenia for kids, or something?

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little confection.

[Negar · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When I closed this book, the skunk kept following me—down the street, through the carnival, into the opera…" (The Barnett Stucker: A Diary, pg1)

[Marya · Rating 5 out of 5]

چقدر عجیب‌وغریب و بامزه بوددددد =)))))))

[Rama_flh · Rating 4 out of 5]

داستان و تصویرسازی جالب.
برای کودکی خوندم و خوشش نیومد. ولی خب نمیشه با یک نفر قضاوت کرد.