Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

You’ll have to wait until October 13 for the book, but since today is a special day—my dad’s 93rd birthday—it seems a perfect day to share the cover of “SMELLY” KELLY AND HIS SUPER SENSES: HOW JAMES KELLY’S NOSE SAVED THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY.

Though my father doesn’t have an extraordinary nose, he’s a lot like James Kelly. Both men have intuitive talents, a can-do attitude that never shies away from a challenge, and endless ingenuity—my kind of heroes. (And yes, both are “characters”—each in their own way!)

Unbeknownst to most everyone, “SMELLY” KELLY AND HIS SUPER SENSES appeared online last week. That would be just like him, taking care of business without fanfare, always at the ready. A man whose nickname was a badge of honor.

So now, without further ado, the cover, created by the amazing Jenn Harney!

And just wait until you see what Jenn has done on the inside! The palette! The energy! The fun! No spoilers, but I will share the front flap copy:

James Kelly smelled EVERYTHING.
Rats in the shed.
Circus elephants a mile away.
Tomorrow’s rain.
His sense of smell was EXTRAORDINARY. But what good was a powerful nose? How could his super-sniffer make him special?

In the New York City subway, James found his calling—and earned the nickname “Smelly” Kelly. Armed with his super-sniffer and the tools he invented, he tracked down leaks from the dangerous to the disgusting, from the comical to the bizarre. Then, he sprang into action to prevent cave-ins and explosions in the tunnels beneath the city. Smelly Kelly not only hunted leaks but also saved lives—and he discovered the truly extraordinary power inside him.

We can’t wait to share this story of a real life everyday hero in the early days of the mysterious underground world of the subway.

Stay tuned to learn more about the making of this book.

“SMELLY KELLY” AND HIS SUPER SENSES is now up for pre-sale at these book sellers: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • IndieBound• Books a Million