Stinky Little Scroungy

By: Samuel Lopez 
Publisher: Little Five Star, a Division of Five Star Publications 
Publication Date: October 2009 
ISBN: 978-1589851580 
Reviewed by: Holly Connors 
Review Date: October 2009 

Young Mossy loves visiting his aunt and uncle on their hundred-year-old farm where lots of different animals live. The reason there are so many different animals on this farm? Because a lot of people decided to leave unwanted, injured, and abused pets at the property. Samuel and Cheri Lopez have generously taken each animal in, cared for their wounds, both physical and mental, and then found loving, caring homes for some, and let others stay at the farm.

Stinky Little Scroungy opens with Mossy playing with the farm animals and doing chores, such as feeding the varied animals. One day, when Mossy takes two dogs and Wilbere the pig(!) for a walk, he stumbles upon a box. He is stunned to find a starving, freezing little puppy hidden inside the box, covered in flea-infested rags. Mossy quickly gets the puppy back to his aunt who cleans up the frightened animal and works tirelessly to cure an ugly rash covering the dog’s entire body.

Stinky Little Scroungy is an engaging story that teaches children about the importance of caring for animals. It also, in a gentle way, shows how some people simply dispose of unwanted pets. Fortunately for the animals, there are people like the Lopez’s to come to their aid. The simple color pencil drawings are mixed throughout with pictures of the actual animals who live at the farm, creating a nice blend of real and imagined pets.

Proceeds from the sale of Stinky Little Scroungy are donated to the Compassionate Pet Sanctuary which is the nonprofit organization the Lopez’s set up to cover the expenses incurred from the care of the animals.

Quill says: A good story to introduce children to the importance of adopting and caring for unwanted and abused animals.