Welcome to Smellville

Garbage Pail Kids, Book 1

By: R. L. Stine

Narrated by: Jordan Fisher, Dascha Polanco, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Ramón de Ocampo, Andrew Eiden, Bradford Hastings, Kirby Heyborne, Jim Meskimen, James Murray

Length: 3 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Goosebumps creator R. L. Stine teams up with the pop-culture phenomenon Garbage Pail Kids for a first-ever GPK middle-grade series.

Welcome to the town of Smellville, where a dozen kids all live in a big tumbledown house and have as much fun as they possibly can. People may think that they’re gross and weird and strange, but they’re not bad kids - they just don’t know any better. In this hilarious new series from best-selling author R. L. Stine, the Garbage Pail Kids - from Adam Bomb to Brainy Janie - get into mischief at their middle school, all while battling bullies and their archenemies, Penny and Parker Perfect. These all-new stories are sure to amuse, entertain, and blow away listeners of all ages.

©2020 R. L. Stine (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Loved it!

Fantastic full cast performance of a gross out good time story. Stine must’ve loved writing this and it shows!

Not bad

Not sure if it is the case or the one that is not the same thing as a whole bunch of people who are in a relationship or a relationship with a relationship or not

Was really good

I thought the story was good and the different characters, I would happily listen to this anther time.

Kid Approved

I listened to this book with my ten year old nephew. He really enjoyed it. He will be telling everyone he knows about this book for the next few months.

Good love garbage pail kids

It’s all what you would expect of garbage pail kids it’s the best.recommend if you don’t get easily disgusted.

Great

The performance and story was the best! Make another garbage pail kids book! This is great

Critical Book Review by Kiba Snowpaw

Critical Book Review by Kiba Snowpaw

Title: "Welcome to Smellville" (Garbage Pail Kids #1)
Author: R.L. Stine
Illustrators: Jeff Zapata, Joe Simko
Genres: Middle Grade, Humor, Audiobook, Childrens, Young Readers, Fiction, Juvenile
Page Count: 208 pages
Publication Date: September 29, 2020

Essential Hook and Thesis:
"Welcome to Smellville" marries the grotesque charm of the Garbage Pail Kids with the storytelling prowess of R.L. Stine, offering a dive into a world where mischief and the macabre meet middle school. As Kiba Snowpaw, a Furry Ice Wolf from HowlStrom, I've ventured through many realms, but Smellville presents a uniquely pungent challenge, with its inhabitants’ adventures and misadventures, reflecting the uncanny blend of humor and horror that only Stine can conjure.

Basic Plot Summary:
The narrative unfolds in Smellville, where nine distinctively quirky kids live together in a tumbledown house, embodying the essence of the Garbage Pail Kids’ universe. These kids, ranging from Adam Bomb to Brainy Janie, navigate their way through middle school while dealing with bullies, the Perfect family, and their own bizarre circumstances. Their story is a series of vignettes, each contributing to a larger plot of camaraderie, acceptance, and the fight against conformity.

Praise:
Stine’s venture into the Garbage Pail Kids universe retains his signature blend of humor and suspense, making "Welcome to Smellville" a memorable addition to his oeuvre. The book’s structure, offering multiple perspectives, enriches the narrative, allowing readers to connect deeply with each character’s peculiarities. The illustrations by Zapata and Simko add a vibrant layer to the tale, bringing the grotesque yet endearing characters to life. For those of us who appreciate the wilder side of life in HowlStrom, the creative names and pun-filled humor resonate with the chaotic energy of youth and rebellion.

Critique and Criticism:
While the book excels in humor and creativity, its plot sometimes feels disjointed, a common challenge in stories told through vignettes. The rapid shift in narrators, although innovative, can disrupt the narrative flow, leaving readers craving a more cohesive storyline. Additionally, the book’s humor, heavily reliant on gross-out jokes, might not appeal to all, especially those outside its target demographic of middle-grade readers. As a Furry Ice Wolf with a taste for nuanced adventures, I found myself yearning for more depth in character development and a stronger central conflict.

Evaluation:
From the frosty expanses of HowlStrom, where every day is a battle for survival and acceptance, "Welcome to Smellville" offers a light-hearted, if somewhat surface-level, exploration of similar themes. It’s a tale that reminds us of the importance of embracing our differences and standing united against adversity. However, the potential for deeper storytelling and character exploration remains largely untapped, leaving room for growth in future installments.

Conclusion:
"Welcome to Smellville" is a commendable attempt at expanding the Garbage Pail Kids lore into middle-grade literature, with R.L. Stine’s humorous touch making it a delightful read. While it may not delve as deep into the characters' origins or the intricacies of their world as one might hope, it succeeds in offering a series of entertaining escapades that celebrate the oddities of life. As Kiba Snowpaw, I appreciate the journey to Smellville, acknowledging its place within the broader tapestry of children’s literature as a beacon for those who find beauty in the bizarre.

Animal Torture is a Big NO

A cat is tortured in the first 3 minutes of the book. And this is meant for middle schoolers???

My kid loves it but I hate it

Not a fan of the story and the gross bits. My kid loves Goosebumps and I mistakenly thought this would be similar. Even though I'm an 80's kid I was not terribly familiar with the Garbage Pail Kids, I wish it would have stayed that way.

Bad book!

It has a bad plot it does not show that much like a diversity in it and it is just overall bad book