Making Scents

by Arthur Yorinks, Braden Lamb (Illustrations), Shelli Paroline (Illustrations)

Mickey isn't quite like his brothers and sisters. They're all stronger, faster, and have a much better sense of smell. That s because his "brothers and sisters" are dogs bloodhounds, to be exact. Mickey s mom and dad are crazy about canines. Their dogs are the loves of their lives and their livelihood. So, naturally, they re raising their son as if he was a dog, and Mickey wants nothing more than to make his parents proud.

Just as Mickey is mastering the art of sniffing, a tragic accident forever changes his happy family. Mickey is sent to live with relatives he's never met, relatives who are not fond of kids . . . and who hate dogs!

"

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Middle Grade, Animals, Juvenile, Childrens, Fiction

112 pages, Hardcover

First published June 27, 2017

About the author

Arthur Yorinks is a playwright, director, and author of more than thirty-five picture books for children, including the Caldecott Medal–winning Hey, Al, illustrated by Richard Egielski. His most recent picture book is Presto and Zesto in Limboland, illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Arthur Yorinks lives in Cambridge, New York.

Reviews

[First Second Books]

Dive your nose right into this heartfelt and beautifully drawn graphic novel for young readers about Mickey, a boy whose dog-loving parents raised him as if he were a dog. But when a tragic accident leaves Mickey an orphan, he must leave his dog family behind to live with an aunt and uncle he's never met before. What's worse of all, they hate dogs AND kids!

[Bookish]

Middle grade graphic novels hold a special place in my heart. I never read them as a kid, and now I tend to pick ones up that I think a younger Kelly would’ve loved. In this book, a young boy who was raised alongside his parents’ dogs suddenly finds himself an orphan. He’s sent to live with his relatives, who dislike kids and hate animals, so he’s separated from his beloved bloodhounds. It’s a story about grief, loss, acceptance, and growth. Young readers who also feel a bit lost in the world are sure to relate to Mickey and cheer for him as he begins to find happiness in his new home. —Kelly (https://www.bookish.com/articles/frid...)

[Eliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Making Scents
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 5.85/10 overall

Characters - 5

Atmosphere - 6

Writing - 6

Plot - 6

Intrigue - 7

Logic - 6

Enjoyment - 5

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

. . . you're a kid not an animal, and you have to start acting like one.

Mickey was raised to be like his "brothers and sisters" who just happen to be bloodhounds. It's taken him a while, but over the years he's developed quite a sense of smell. But now he's being forced to go live with relatives . . . dog-hating relatives.

I'm not sure why this one didn't click more with me. Perhaps it was that the weird concept was not really played for laughs, but mixed with tragedy instead? The artwork by Braden Lamb and Shelli Paroline was fine, and there were some surprisingly touching moments . . . but, this is not something I'd read again or recommend.

[Maggie Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Making Scents is a bizarre little graphic novel. I think it will appeal to kids much more as they won't spend all their time going "whut". The story involves a happy family with mom, dad, and many siblings. One of those kids is a human, the rest are dogs, all raised happily together! As dogs. It's weird. Mickey has a hard time fitting in with other kids, unsurprisingly, and there's quite a shocking and sad twist in the middle of the book when it looks like he's just finding his feet. In the end, the book is about family and respecting people's differences and unique talents. It's very very odd, but the art is very well done, and I do think kids will enjoy the quirky story.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey Spitz is raised by canine loving parents, and takes on some characteristics of his canine brothers and sisters, but when a tragedy occurs he is left to live with his mother's sister and her husband in Long Island NY. A learning curve is presented as the three of them try to adjust to their new and sudden lifestyle.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Odd is the only word I can think to describe this graphic novel. I have no idea how to talk about this one, or even what grades to booktalk it in. I feel like it would have been better if it had been more on the fantasy/fun side and not so serious. It is definitely going to take the right kid to read it.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ask me about this in person sometime, because I cannot.

[Julesy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been a great story - a boy and his dogs.
But it turned out to be very sad and just strange.
Ending was horrible.
Don't recommend to anyone, especially young children with pets.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was weird, I'm not really sure what the moral or the point of the story was but regardless I did enjoy reading it.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very quirky tale about a boy raised with dogs who is trained to have an exceptional sense of smell. I think this might have been just a bit too out there for me. Mickey was difficult to relate to and his uncle and aunt were hard to like. Maybe if it had been slightly longer I would have felt like it was more cohesive? I did not understand the uncles obsession with all kids being crooks either haha. I'd be curious to talk with a kid about this one and see what they think.

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the uniqueness of families. Mickey who is born to parents that never intended to have children but do love him but raise him almost as if he is one of their many bloodhounds has a hard time being accepted by others because of his unusual upbringing and talents. When he loses his family he has to find a new way to make a family with his older aunt and uncle who really don't like children or dogs.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 1 out of 5]

https://openbooksociety.com/article/m...

Making Scents
By Arthur Yorinks
ISBN: 9781596434523
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Summary:

Mickey isn’t quite like his brothers and sisters. They’re all stronger, faster, and have a much better sense of smell. That’s because his “brothers and sisters” are dogs – bloodhounds, to be exact. Mickey’s mom and dad are crazy about canines. Their dogs are the loves of their lives and their livelihood. So, naturally, they are raising their son as if he was a dog, and Mickey wants nothing more than to make his parents proud.

Just as Mickey is mastering the art of sniffing, a tragic accident forever changes his happy family. Mickey is sent to live with relatives he’s never met, relatives who are not fond of kids . . . and who hate dogs! (Goodreads)

Review:

Making Scents by Arthur Yorinks is a graphic novel telling the story of a young boy who is raised by his parents who never wanted children but always loved (and raised) bloodhounds. The family unit seemed happy, though a bit odd since Mickey Spitz seemed to be raised as a dog as well. Unfortunately, due to an accident, Mickey became an orphan and had to go live with his aunt and uncle (who did not want children). Mickey was strange in that he had been raised as what I would like to call as a pseudo dog so his fitting in at a new school (and his new home) did not go very well.

I found the story somewhat interesting and it could have had some depth but what I noticed was that each time the color of the graphics changed slightly, the story line changed or moved ahead abruptly. So reading the story felt very disjointed with no chance for depth to emerge.

I did appreciate that the uncle did seem to come around and show affection for Mickey – but that was on the very last page.

The graphics did display the emotions of the characters very well.

I imagine the book would be a hit with the very young crowd, especially those children with an affinity to dogs. Myself, unfortunately did not appreciate the lack of flow throughout the story. Nor the fact that a very poignant event (Mickey’s parents dying) was glossed over while the fact that the aunt and uncle so did NOT want children. It just did not feel like a book I would want to read to my child nor have my child read for herself.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a couple who raises bloodhounds has a son, they decide to raise him pretty much like one of their bloodhounds. He is taught to track things by scent, he calls the dogs his brothers and sisters, and he frequently does things the way they do. This isn’t much of a problem until he goes to school. His super sniffer and strange habits don’t win him many friends until his mom arranges for him to demonstrate to the entire school how cool his sniffer talents can be. Unfortunately, just as he was making headway at school tragedy strikes and Mickey must go live with his older aunt and uncle who don’t like dogs and never wanted kids. Is he doomed to a life of misery with a grouchy older couple?

This had moments of cute and sweetness, and I liked the art style. Overall I ended up liking the story, but it was a little odd in places. Mickey might have been easier to swallow if he were actually raised by animals instead of two humans who pretty much treated him like he was one of their dogs. The fact that they raised him to call their dogs his brothers and sisters and such was just weird, bordering on abusive (he was treated like an animal much of the time). It didn’t go quite too far, but it was close. I did like watching how Mickey and his uncle and aunt worked things out, and the ending is a feel good closing. I’m not quite sure why the author/illustrators chose to set this in the 1950s. The scene where a woman threatens to sue the uncle for Mickey’s actions felt like something from today; it would never have happened in the 50s (considering corporal punishment was still practiced in schools, the mom probably would have been thankful for the kid getting punished physically for his wrongdoing). Since this is a preview version I’m hoping an editor catches that and changes it before the final print. Overall, this is a feel good story about an orphan who is an odd duck finding a place where he is loved and accepted.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. One bite on page, some deaths mentioned but not shown.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey Spitz has a very unique upbringing since he's raised with several bloodhounds. His parents make a living through those dogs with their keen sense of smell. Not surprisingly, Mickey grows up to be more dog than boy, and he follows the lead of his canine sisters and brothers in learning to let his nose be his guide. Things at school aren't particularly easy, and he endures bullying from his classmates and even a teacher. After he asks for a cat after having had a particularly tough day at school, his mother visits the principal, who is receptive to the idea of showcasing Mickey's ability to detect others by their smell. But at his moment of triumph, his life changes when his parents die in a car wreck. His maternal aunt and uncle take him in, but they get rid of the dogs, which leaves the young boy doubly bereft since they are his siblings. His aunt, Jou Jou, tries hard to nurture him, but his uncle, Irv, is really not interested in bringing a child into their family. Still, he senses that there is a heart beating beneath that gruff exterior. When Jou Jou becomes sick and Mickey reassures his uncle that she will recover, the two form a strong bond. Although this graphic novel may take a little while to get accustomed to because of the absurd notion of a boy reared as a dog, it is poignant and might remind readers that all of us are different, and we don't think, act, or even navigate our worlds in exactly the same way. I would certainly consider using this book as a way to demonstrate that and to remind youngsters about the need for acceptance and embracing different ways of living. I will confess that I was ready to hate that couple when they separated him from his beloved dogs, but the last image gives me hope that they have opened up their home to at least two dogs and a boy, even if those dogs weren't original members of his pack. The book made me think about how I treat others who are not quite the way I expect them to be.

[Josh Angel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst.

Seriously, I couldn't finish it. It starts off with a bizarre opening of a guy hiding a baby in a tree and then sending out his hounds to find the baby. Turns out the baby is actually his son. And the parents raise the boy as a dog, berating him when he can't track by scent as well as the other dogs.

Like WTH is happening here? It isn't played for laughs either, this is all played straight.

Then the boy gets older and the kids at school bully him for acting a like a dog. Makes sense, as the parents are abusing him physically and mentally by making him behave like a dog.

And the dialogue... check out this hack-kneed bit of dialogue from a bully at school who is angry because the boy used his nose to find him during hide & seek: "You're supposed to look all over the place and not find us and get frustrated and start to cry and then we come out and laugh at you." WTH? What kid talks like this? What writer writes dialogue this bad, even in a kids book? A kids book that again, is not supposed to be funny, but is taking this all very seriously.

Oh, and then the bully punches the kid right in the face after that bit of self-aware meta dialogue.

Later, the parents full out flip out because the kid asks if they could get a cat. They act like he's broken some major religious edict. Again, not played for laughs, this is serious.

Oh, and then the parents die. Not that they didn't have it coming, but that was enough for me. I'm out.

I have an immense amount of respect for books, but I actually threw this book in the trash, because no one should read it, especially children, ever.

NOTE: I do want to say that the art was pleasant, so I don't want to lay this atrocity at the artists feet. This is 100% the product of bad writing.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this becomes a series, and Mickey Spitz learns how to direct his "superpower" - a developed skill at sniffing things out and picking up on his own and others' feelings - to foil criminals and uncover mysteries, it could be great. I liked the artistic style and think it will appeal to the 7- to 10-year-olds who would also be interested in the themes & story.

However, waiting until a second book to start a larger, more adventurous a story is wasting readers' time and attention. Not enough happens in this book, and it's hard to feel connected to Mickey when he makes so little progress and has so few chances to demonstrate his talents.

We are supposed to dislike his aunt & uncle, and then perhaps come around to liking them when they start to get a clue about Mickey's worth...which barely begins to happen at the end of this book.

However, I'm not entirely sure we are supposed to like Mickey's parents. The trick about hiding him as a baby to demonstrate their dogs' search skills was purposefully misleading - so readers were meant to think his parents tried to abandon him for a half-dozen pages until it sinks in what they were really doing. Since they repeatedly ignore his feelings and needs, I felt counter-tricked - they are not the loving and supportive parents Mickey deserved, they both used and neglected him because of their single-minded focus on their sniffer dogs.

Does Yorinks have it in him to make this a great superhero story? I hope so!

[Mary Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy is raised as a dog and learns to use his nose to read the world by scent. (Learning to live up to parental expectations, or nature vs nurture or parallel to autism?) He has a hard time at school, and his mom has to advocate that the school accept him for who he is and the talents he has (it takes a principal who is a dog lover to make this happen...insider advocate?). When his parents die suddenly in a car wreck and he is taken to live with his older, childless aunt and uncle, he has to win over an uncle who thinks all kids are crooks. His mother and father were vehement cat haters (seems like a stretch, but speciesist/racist?), so even though he has to work to be accepted, Mickey has a more balanced life with his aunt and uncle (they like cats, and there's evidence in last photo that they get a couple of dogs, too).

I practiced using Vicki Vinton's problem-based thinking during and after reading. I didn't really understand the story very deeply until I started asking myself, "What is the author trying to show/tell me about human nature, families, and differently abled children?"

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

The kids went with Dad to a local Comic Con and L really wanted to get some comic books. Before realizing they were selling fifty cent Looney Tunes comics (which both kids did buy) they went to the graphic novel section and L picked this book to check out. I'm assuming she was attracted to this because of the "puppies", which are always appealing to her. Needless to say, this was not an appropriate story line for a 3-year-old. I figured as much after the first few pages and so for the next few nights when she wanted to read this we basically just skimmed it and described some of the pictures and I hurried past the bits that looked the most disturbing (tragedy involving family members). Even without the fairly tragic and serious storyline, this was completely over her head.
I was actually intrigued by the story, though, and from skimming it, it seems like an unusual and interesting read. I think it's something I probably would have appreciated as a middle grade kid.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the case of a mismatched book and reader.

I'm a dog lover, so I had hopes that I would strongly connect with the animals in the book. Unfortunately, I found that I didn't personally connect with Mickey or his story, and I felt parts of it came across as rushed.

However, I'd still encourage any curious readers to pick this title up. It's a sweet story that explores themes of acceptance and praises a unique character for his talents. The use of color is really lovely in a subtle way, and young readers who love dogs or have experienced loss will likely relate to Mickey.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what this story was about. But it came with my Junior Library Guild order, and I try to read all of those books. This book has sad moments, like when Mickey's parents die in a car crash and his uncle does not like him very much. But there is also much to be said about dog traits here, since Mickey has an amazing sense of smell, trained by his parents who raised bloodhounds. I was particularly interested in the information about illustrating a graphic novel at the end of the book. Very interesting and should not be missed.

[Mrs. Mazzola · Rating 2 out of 5]

A family lives happily together with their gang of bloodhounds and a son that they treat like a dog, until tragedy strikes. Then the boy has to figure out how to live in a world that doesn't understand him.

This graphic novel was strange. The art was great, but the story was confusing and tried to do too much in a very short page count. I think that it will appeal to kids more than adults because it might be easier for them to suspend their disbelief and accept that this crazy premise was possible, but I don't think I would recommend it.

[Raeann · Rating 2 out of 5]

An overall cute story, but in my opinion the resolution was rushed and random. The premise was interesting enough, having Mickey raised with a bunch of dogs as his "brothers and sisters" and acting like a dog himself, but after a while it became slightly uncomfortable. Even in this graphic novel format it seemed too unrealistic. This would be a nice book to give to a child dealing with loss, but honestly there are better books out there on that subject.

[Diana Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what I just read. Is this a children's graphic novel? Some pretty heavy themes that were handled quite lightly or glossed over. Even though the main character is a kid, I'd reclassify this one in the teen graphic novels. Not the light read I was expecting, and, in my opinion, didn't handle the heavy parts appropriately. Such shifting in tones, definitely not the "laugh out loud" funny as it was described to be.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet, Making Scents is not what you would necessarily expect. Although the premise is initially quite strange (basically raising your son as a dog, really?), it ended up being a poignant and sweet story about how people can adapt to change, even when they are resistant to it.

Mind you, I'm a an adult reading a children's graphic novel. I may be over thinking it.

[Ro Menendez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to make of this graphic novel. Mickey's parents had always envisioned a big family of bloodhounds. When they had a boy they raised him just like they had raised their beloved bloodhounds and eventually Mickey develops a nose just like his brothers' and sisters'. What happens when you are raised in a very particular manner and can no longer call your home, "home"? A tale of acceptance, rethinking stereotypes, and learning to love those who come into our lives unexpectedly.

[D.T. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The artwork is super cute and Mickey is kind of adorable. The story itself though just has no real purpose. The ending is majorly anti-climatic. I figured all of Mickey's transgressions were building up to something but nah. I just... What was the point? I think this would work better as a webcomic.

Also, I am so tired of Mickey's uncle's constant"crook"spiel. Go shove it up your nose!

[Karen Piedra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but parts of it seemed rushed and underdeveloped. The boy acting like a bloodhound was cute, and it had a good message about being true to yourself, but it was quirky. I am not sure who I'd recommend this book to at the elementary school level.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

(borrowed from my local library.) bookthreat.com has a great review for this book. I'll only add that it took me a minute to get why the ending was so abrupt; that said it does make sense. ( or scents ).

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sorry to see such a low community average rating. In my own personal opinion of how much I enjoyed, yes, three stars. But it's funny, and original, and thoughtful, and I would think it would be a wonderful read for the right audience. Maybe for so-called 'reluctant' readers.