After having a specimen deposited on his head by a bird as he passes under an apple tree, Geoffrey, the young protagonist in this new addition to the Discworld series, decides he wants to open a poo museum. With the help of his grandmother and the gardener, Plain Old Humphrey, Geoffrey and his new puppy, Widdler, set off on a series of scatological adventures, collecting specimens from as many new species as they can find. They consort with a friendly gargoyle, bring home a steaming pile from a baby dragon, ride on a barge through the sewage-laden river governed by Sir Harry King, who runs a massive poo collection service, and generally have a tremendous amount of fun while collecting many pieces of feces.
Terry Pratchett's satire and wit are evident throughout this humorous venture into a semi-taboo topic; when discussing the poo of dragons, he writes, "Draco nobilis... is a carnivore. This species is particularly fond of virgins, but knights in armour are a bonus because they add a certain amount of roughage to the diet... the dragons excrete small tin roundels not unlike corned beef, but still in the tin as it were." Pratchett has taken an often smelly, offensive subject and made it the object of a young boy's desire--to have the best poo museum in the world--providing readers with a funny and informative view on a process that is natural and a bond of sorts among animals and humans alike. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer