Noses Are Red - Richard Scrimger

Nominated in the fiction category for the 2004/2005 Red Cedar Book Awards (British Columbia's Young Reader's Choice book award)


Norbert's back, and Alan's got him! In the third of Richard Scrimger's wildly popular Nose books, Alan is off on a camping trip with his good friend, Victor. Fun, right? Not if the person who is taking you camping happens to be Christopher, your mother's new boyfriend. And not if you aren't exactly a fan of the great outdoors, with its bugs and swamps and bears.


The woods are full of dangers, and the boys seem to encounter them all in one hilarious misadventure after another. It's up to Norbert, the alien from Jupiter, to help Alan find his way out of the forest.

A columnist and novelist, Richard Scrimger grew up in Toronto, always writing but never really considering it a career, until after the birth of his first two children, twins, when he discovered the only time he could seriously write was during their naps. His style clearly demonstrates the influence of his experiences as a waiter in Toronto's upscale restaurants, and as a stay-at-home father to his four children.

Genuinely witty, his work can be described as multi-dimensional - comic elements ride upon the surface, supported by varying levels of seriousness underneath.

Columns detailing Richard's adventures in parenthood have been published in The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, and Today's Parent, and were compiled in a collection titled Still Life with Children. His first adult novel, Crosstown, was a finalist for the City of Toronto Book Award. His first children's novel, The Nose from Jupiter, won the 10th annual Mr. Christie Book Award, was selected as an A.B.A. Kid's Pick of the List title, and was a finalist for the Ontario Library Association's 1999 Silver Birch Award.

Richard Scrimger is also the author of The Way to Schenectady about the adventures of the Peeler family on the road; Mystical Rose, an adult novel; and a sequel to The Nose from Jupiter entitled A Nose for Adventure. In 2001 Scrimger published Bun Bun's Birthday a picture book illustrated by Gillian Johnson, and a Peeler Christmas story called Of Mice and Nutcrackers. He and his family live in Cobourg, Ontario.

"With entertaining characters, witty dialogue, and wry observations, this fast-paced novel supports the notion, seldom acknowledged in children's books, that Mother doesn't always know best."

-Booklist

"As with its predecessors, this book is hilarious, with a wonderful blend of slapstick humor and dry wit. It will appeal to anyone who hates summer camp or who enjoys a refreshingly comic look at everyday life."

-VOYA

"The third installment in Richard Scrimger's hilarious "Nose" series…is a fine addition to the Scrimger oeuvre!"

-Books in Canada

"…a wonderful read. Perhaps the best of the three 'Nose' books."

-Children's Book News

"…wickedly humourous and a wonderfully fun summer camp saga…Young readers will empathize with Alan's struggles in this story…Richard Scrimger beautifully captures the humour in the mundane aspects of daily life while simultaneously portraying the very real thoughts and uncertainties of a typical 13-year-old boy."

-CM Magazine

"Richard Scrimger has written an excellent outdoor adventure. It is packed with laughs. The originality of this tale is quite refreshing. Each chapter presents significant plot development. The good feeling after finishing this book will last for days. I would highly recommend this book…"

-Resource Links

"…[an] uproarious story…"
-Teacher Magazine

"Noses are Red is a wonderful tale of adventure, a hilarious tale that tickles the funny bone of the most stubborn people."

-Books

"Richard Scrimger is a funny man…The writing is confident and droll. There's only one word for the storyline: unique."

-Vancouver Sun

"One hilarious escapade after another."
-Star Phoenix

"Read it yourself - it'll bring back all your worst memories of summer camp."
-New Brunswick Reader