Doctor Proctor is a crazy professor. Well, almost. Actually, he is an ageing inventor waiting for his big break. When he teams up with his next-door neighbor Lise and her peculiar friend Bulle in making the world’s most powerful farting powder, it seems his dream may be coming true. But in the background lurk the ruthless twins Truls and Trym Thrane. The drama that is sparked on Canon Drive will have repercussions that stretch beyond the imaginable, involving a wild chase through the sewer system of Oslo, anacondas, and NASA. With a great deal of humor and witty dialogs, Jo Nesbo chisels out his wonderfully weird characters and lets his imagination run wild in this delightful children’s book début reminiscent of Roald Dahl.

Via a fantastic story that contains suspense, laughs and concern for the characters in equal measure, Jo Nesbø delivers a solid humanistic message to his small readers: in essence, Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder is a story about the importance of being who you are, and the ability of human creativity and imagination to give you the courage to do so.

Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder was shortlisted for Ark's Children's Book Award (Arks barnebokpris) for Best Children's Book 2007.

”Hilarious and original /.../ An unforeseeable and irresistible way to face the world as only Roald Dahl has done so far.”
––Roberto Denti

“This terrific book will make you laugh, and cherish your friends, and value fair play.”
––James Patterson

Rights sold to
Norway, Aschehoug
Sweden, Piratförlaget
Denmark, Gyldendal
Finland, Gummerus
Faeroe Islands, Bókadeildin
Iceland, Forlagid
Kvensk, Kvensk Institut
Germany, Arena
Netherlands, Lemniscaat
Italy, Salani
Spain, RBA (World Spanish)
France, Bayard
UK, Simon & Schuster (UK and Commonwealth)
US, Simon & Schuster (incl. Canada)
Romania, RAO
Greece, Orfeas
Latvia, Kontinents
Korea, ChungRim
Israel, Kinneret Zmora
Brazil, Martins Fontes
China, 21st Century (Simplified Chinese)
Turkey, Pegasus

Rights sold to
Norway, Nordisk Film

Reviews
”Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder, a hilarious story about a professor who invents a flatulence-inducing powder strong enough to send it's recipients up into outer space. Great to see real talent emerge in a category often dominated by formulaic series.”
The Bookseller (UK)

“In this well-knit crossover debut for young audiences, a popular Norwegian author crafts an airy farce from elements both familiar and offbeat. /.../ Readers will have blasts of their own cheering on the sturdy protagonists [in] this rib-tickling tale.”
Kirkus Reviews (USA)

”Norwegian author Nesbø's children's book debut is a sweet, silly, and often amusing tale. /.../ The over-the-top story eventually ties in the toughest prison in Norway and a vicious sewer anaconda, but Nesbø writes with an appropriately silly tone to justify these twists.”
Publishers Weekly (USA)

“A comical, imaginative, talented and not least effortless story, that in addition is entertaining for adults to read aloud.”
Ekstra Bladet (Denmark)

“Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder takes the reader, among other places, down into the sewer system under the streets of Oslo, where an anaconda by the name of Anna Konda rules and makes life dangerous for sewer rats and other small folks. But first and foremost the book is about friendship, loyalty and compassion.”
Politiken (Denmark)

“Forget about the hard-boiled, hard drinking detective Harry Hole, and welcome instead the tiny, cheeky school boy Nilly, with an Elvis hair-do, in Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder… a completely normal Oslo, where huge anacondas live in the sewers, and where little boys can have sideburns.”
24timer (Denmark)

“A wonderful and unforced book to read aloud for all kids of fart-humor-age.”
Weekendavisen (Denmark)

"If you love humor, you have to read this book. /…/ The story is so bizarre and funny, that you have to put down the book at times, to laugh out loud."
Kidsweek Junior (Netherlands)

"Hilarious and exiting!"
Libelle (Netherlands)

“A rumbling, thundering children's book début!”
Verdens Gang (Norway)

“Nesbo brilliantly hits the mark with his target group”
Fredrikstads Blad (Norway)

“A luxuriant, spirited and hilarious children’s book début”
Varden (Norway)

“An incredibly entertaining story ... reads like one of those fantastic adventure stories of the old days”
Aftenposten (Norway)

”The book is Jo Nesbo’s début writing for children, and he handles the transition splendidly. The story of Lise, the tiny little Bulle and the professor who is just a little bit mad, is told with ease and humor. /…/ Nesbo’s style is warm and humorous. Fortunately, he refrains from using a simplified adult language and aptly balances the well-known with the new.”
Dagbladet (Norway)

”This year’s funniest?”
”…Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder is more than delightful. It is a burlesque and wildly funny story from beginning to end. His writing is as enjoyable for adults as for the little ones. /…/ I have seldomly enjoyed myself so much reading fiction as I did while following the unusually small Bulle, his friend Lise, professor Proctor, the obese twins Truls and Trym Thrane and all the others in Canon Drive through an adventure that flies so high and ducks so low that real life can hardly be as exciting. /…/ Jo Nesbo deserves the Brage Prize for this book!”
Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen (Norway)

”These days, Pippi Longstocking lives in Norway and is called Nilli – a quirky children’s book, that offers a lot more than just hot air.”
NRZ (Germany)

”A tremendously entertaining story mixing elements of reality, fantasy and adventure, full of witty illustrations.”
ZDF (Germany)

”Jo Nesbo is, as we know, previously known for his crime novels. Now he has written a children’s book, and I must say that he does this almost even better. /…/ Nothing short of a true reader’s delight. A first-rate nonsensical book, which all children above six years of age deserve to have read out loud to them. And as quickly as possible.”
Zehngrad (Germany)

”Jo Nesbo is well versed in the art of creating suspense. The book ows its true charm less to the shamelessness in the descriptions of various body gases, and more to the vulgarities and absurdities which follow in a logical sequence, one after the other, all described and finished off with a laconic joke. /…/ [Nesbo] really must continue to write for children.”
Berliner Zeitung (Germany)

(#2 on their list of ”The 7 Best Books for Young Readers” in the month of August)
”… a lovely, crazy and truly comical book … Kids, kids, what a delightful read!”
Deutschlandfunk (Germany)

”Whacky fun for boys and girls”
BuchMarkt (Germany)

”Quick-witted heroes, entertaining story.”
Börsenblatt (Germany)

”With his cheeky debut for children, crime writer Jo Nesbo displays a great deal of wit and an inclination toward the fantastic. Kids are going to love this: the things of which you do not speak, are here allowed to quite shamelessly, and with fascination, spread across the pages.”
Kölnische Rundschau (Germany)

”…this Norwegian author combines a surprising story with everything that a kid expects from a book: wordplays, suspense, goose bumps!”
Luftballon (Germany)

”An explosive reader’s delight.”
Mannheimer Morgen (Germany)

”A book to read together and giggle at.”
Neuer Westfälische (Germany)

“Both boys and girls will be equally delighted…the splendidly wacky illustrations are stimulating for the kids as well. /…/ This fart powder is educationally valuable!”
WDR 2 (Germany)

“…a masterpiece of zany children’s fiction, where Nesbø demonstrates his skill for suspense and playful irony. /…/ An action-packed, facetious, elegant juggling of trumpet players, animal tormentors, infatuated researchers. /…/ Funny and cheeky. I have rarely laughed so much.”
Frankfurter Allgemeine (Germany)

“…the story as a whole is exciting and excellent for reading aloud and sharing laughs. It is complemented by the innovatively irreverent illustrations.”
Die Rheinpfalz (Germany)

“…exciting and extremely funny entertainment guaranteed.”
Coburger Tageblatt (Germany)

“Those who are not afraid of fart stories, appreciate wacky personalities, and can handle a non-stop attack on the laughing nerve must definitely read this book.”
General-Anzeiger (Germany)

“[Nesbø] turns out to be a linguistic master: it’s impressive to see how he suggests and just as swiftly covers whole family dramas in subordinate clauses… Nesbø skillfully plays with the entire catalog of irony.”
Elsesohr (Germany)

“The Norwegian crime author Jo Nesbø has – unlike many other adult fiction writers – managed to write a children’s story that is neither embarrassing nor phoney. /…/ With Nilly [the protagonist], Jo Nesbø has created a character that in it’s radiance touches on the truly great classics. He has the cheek and wit of Pippi Longstocking, the positive attitude and adventurous spirit of Huckleberry Finn, the humanity and gentleness of Mumin…”
Dagens Nyheter (Sweden)

“This book triumphs with its amplifications. There is a joy in Nesbø’s combinations of the grotesque and the humorous, and the wild energy in the flow of words creates a raving in it’s own right. /…/ There is liberating rage in the laughter.”
Expressen (Sweden)

“Frantically funny reading for all ages… A book for reading aloud must have something for the adult reader as well, and I can guarantee that this very suspenseful and funny story does. /…/ The narrative is driven by a cheeky and outrageously funny dialogue, with numerous references to literature, history and contemporary phenomena. Intelligence, humor and cheerfulness is also found in Per Dybvig’s sketches that appear here and there across the pages.”
Länstidningen Södertälje (Sweden)

”…this wild, funny, outrageous story…”
Aftonbladet (Sweden)

“An absurd, exciting and above all funny story… Jo Nesbø is an entertaining storyteller – for both kids and adults.”
Smålands-Tidningen (Sweden)

“At times brutal, very playful, and never boring. One thing that I really appreciate is that every little detail in the book reappears, and it all comes together in the end, almost like in a fairytale.”
Hallands Nyheter (Sweden)

“Exciting! Breathless! Read-aloudable! A real hit!”
BTJ-häftet (Sweden)

”The book contains a lot of fart humour. The author's previous works have been in the crime genre, but this proves that he can write equally well for children.”
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)

”The book is a wonderful mix of humor, witty dialogue, adventure and deliciously quirky characters.”
Tenava (Finland)

”Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder is a spellbinding, rip-roaring children's novel with a mischievous twist.”
Aamulehti (Finland)

”Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder is a perfect book for those with a good sense of humor. It is one of the funniest children's books I have ever read, and I wanted it to go on and on and on...”
Vinski (Finland)

“Jo Nesbø demonstrates good intuition in his [children’s fiction] début, presenting a recipe for joy. /.../ What is the purpose? To amuse. The goal is easily achieved in this book inspired by Jo’s little daughter’s tips.”
Il Tempo (Italy)

“Hilarious!”
La Provincia (Italy)

“His name is Nilly and you won’t forget it. Not just because of his stature (he is a miniature kid even though he is 10 years old), but also because of his initiative. Those are the characteristics that make him the new hero of a fresh and ingenious fiction for kids that, due to its inventiveness and amusement, belongs in the tradition of Dahl, Lindgren and Doyle. /…/ This crazy scientist [Doctor Proctor], whose creations are able to open doors and send you out in space, offers sensational developments that will make the readers want to visit Oslo, ‘the small capital of a small country’ where the story takes place.”
Il Messaggero (Italy)

“Is there anything more funny to a kid than a fart? /.../ Hilarious characters, jokes and situations à la Roald Dahl.”
Insieme (Italy)

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