"Smelly" Kelly and His Super Senses How James Kelly's Nose Saved the New York City Subway

James "Smelly" Kelly used his super-senses and intelligence to make sure that the New York City subway in the 1930s ran safely throughout his lifetime and beyond.

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. Beth Anderson's fast-paced text and Jenn Harney's comical illustrations bring to life this everyday superhero.

Beth Anderson earned a B.A. in Linguistics and a M. Ed. in Reading. She taught English as a second language for more than 20 years. She is the author of An Inconvenient Alphabet, Ben Franklin & Noah Webster's Spelling Revolution, and Calkins Creek's Lizzie Demands A Seat!

Illustrator and toy designer Jenn Harney is the illustrator of Never Trumpet with a Crumpet, Underwear!, and the "Hazy Bloom" series. She is the author/illustrator of Swim Swim Sink to be published in Spring 2020.