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Mr Stink
The second original, touching, twisted, and most of all hilarious novel for children from David Walliams, number one bestseller and fastest growing children’s author in the country – beautifully illustrated by Quentin Blake.
"Mr Stink stank. He also stunk. And if it was correct English to say he stinked, then he stinked as well…”
It all starts when Chloe makes friends with Mr Stink, the local tramp. Yes, he smells a bit. But when it looks like he might be driven out of town, Chloe decides to hide him in the garden shed.
Now Chloe's got to make sure no one finds out her secret. And speaking of secrets, there just might be more to Mr Stink than meets the eye… or the nose.
"Mr Stink stank. He also stunk. And if it was correct English to say he stinked, then he stinked as well…”
It all starts when Chloe makes friends with Mr Stink, the local tramp. Yes, he smells a bit. But when it looks like he might be driven out of town, Chloe decides to hide him in the garden shed.
Now Chloe's got to make sure no one finds out her secret. And speaking of secrets, there just might be more to Mr Stink than meets the eye… or the nose.
267 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
David Walliams
180 books3,086 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
David Walliams is an actor and writer best known for his work with Matt Lucas in the multi-award-winning sketch show Little Britain. His debut children's novel, The Boy in the Dress, was published in 2008 to unanimous critical acclaim and he has since developed a reputation as a natural successor to Roald Dahl.
David Walliams is an actor and writer best known for his work with Matt Lucas in the multi-award-winning sketch show Little Britain. His debut children's novel, The Boy in the Dress, was published in 2008 to unanimous critical acclaim and he has since developed a reputation as a natural successor to Roald Dahl.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 993 reviews
March 30, 2023
I spend a lot of time reading children's books as my 7 year-old girl is severely disabled and can't read for herself (or even turn the page). She is however of normal intelligence for her age and stories are her world.
As a new author myself I don't generally review other new authors, but David Walliams needs no charity from me. He's a hugely successful actor (both comic and straight) and far better than me at swimming the English Channel too.
The blurb says Mr Stink is a "touching, twisted, and most of all hilarious novel". It has the order right. It's more touching than it is twisted, more twisted than it is hilarious. At the risk of type-casting Mr Walliams I would say that like his TV show "Little Britain" the book is disjointed and variable, excellent in places ... others, not so much. Like many children's books the text tries to entertain on two levels so that the parents can have their private smirk (nothing lewd - more socio-political here). For me the humour wasn't great. My daughter liked the idea of a tramp so smelly he could empty Starbucks, and I liked the fact that our heroic table-turning tramp wasn't without his flaws - that would have been too twee even for a child's book. Even so, as a whole I felt the writing and concept warranted the three stars I've awarded, not more, not less. My money wasn't wasted and it may well be that the next Walliams book keeps the highest standards throughout, but this wasn't the best or the worst Celyn and I have read this year.
EDIT (2012) - as an interesting aside regarding correlation between goodreads reviews and sales ... for children's books the correlation is not strong! Mr Stink (~100 reviews) has sold 250,000+ copies (at time of review) and is being adapted for television! Prince of Thorns (~1000 reviews) has sold <25,000 copies and is not being adapted for television :)
EDIT EDIT (2015) - Prince of Thorns has now also sold over 450,000 copies ... but probably still much fewer than Mr Stink :)
EDIT EDIT EDIT (2016) - There actually *is* a strong correlation between the number of Goodreads ratings and book sales if you stick to a particular genre (and period):
http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.co.uk...
This book shows how significantly that relationship breaks down when you move genre (from fantasy to children's books, for example).
& I did read another Walliams book (Awful Auntie) and it was much better.
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As a new author myself I don't generally review other new authors, but David Walliams needs no charity from me. He's a hugely successful actor (both comic and straight) and far better than me at swimming the English Channel too.
The blurb says Mr Stink is a "touching, twisted, and most of all hilarious novel". It has the order right. It's more touching than it is twisted, more twisted than it is hilarious. At the risk of type-casting Mr Walliams I would say that like his TV show "Little Britain" the book is disjointed and variable, excellent in places ... others, not so much. Like many children's books the text tries to entertain on two levels so that the parents can have their private smirk (nothing lewd - more socio-political here). For me the humour wasn't great. My daughter liked the idea of a tramp so smelly he could empty Starbucks, and I liked the fact that our heroic table-turning tramp wasn't without his flaws - that would have been too twee even for a child's book. Even so, as a whole I felt the writing and concept warranted the three stars I've awarded, not more, not less. My money wasn't wasted and it may well be that the next Walliams book keeps the highest standards throughout, but this wasn't the best or the worst Celyn and I have read this year.
EDIT (2012) - as an interesting aside regarding correlation between goodreads reviews and sales ... for children's books the correlation is not strong! Mr Stink (~100 reviews) has sold 250,000+ copies (at time of review) and is being adapted for television! Prince of Thorns (~1000 reviews) has sold <25,000 copies and is not being adapted for television :)
EDIT EDIT (2015) - Prince of Thorns has now also sold over 450,000 copies ... but probably still much fewer than Mr Stink :)
EDIT EDIT EDIT (2016) - There actually *is* a strong correlation between the number of Goodreads ratings and book sales if you stick to a particular genre (and period):
http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.co.uk...
This book shows how significantly that relationship breaks down when you move genre (from fantasy to children's books, for example).
& I did read another Walliams book (Awful Auntie) and it was much better.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
.
February 7, 2017
Ever book of David Walliams surprises me and kids again and again. Mr Stink starts absolutely hilarious and had my kids giggling and guffawing (particular when Mr Stink goes on TV!) and then had them bawling in one of the most emotional, touching endings of a children's book I have read since Charlotte's Web (for which I admit, I wept and wept when I read it 4 decades ago at their age). It is extremely well-written with humor and a crystal-clear moral lesson that I could not agree with more. An absolute must to read with your kids (but keep a box of tissues and a whole lot of hugs handy!)
February 9, 2017
This wasn't up to the standard of either The Boy in the Dress or Gangsta Granny. The story was slight. Mildly-bullied girl who is not her mother's favourite child befriends stinky old tramp and his trick-performing dog. The tramp is, almost inevitably this story is so cliched, a Lord with a sob story. The message, "We could all be homeless" (even a Lord) is hammered home. This is all set against a minor backdrop of politics but really that is just used as justification for the message - even the Prime Minister will recognise the sense a tramp talks (especially if he is extremely well-spoken and not the sort of drunken sot that populate the pavements of Kilburn and whose language is peppered with fuck, fucking, fucker),
2.5 stars rounded up because David Walliams is my children's book hero author. Just not so good with this one.
2.5 stars rounded up because David Walliams is my children's book hero author. Just not so good with this one.
January 31, 2018
‘Mr Stink’ (2009) and ‘Gangsta Granny’ (2011) – both entertaining and amusing novels from the now very commercially successful pen of David Walliams.
Both stories very much influenced by and written in the tradition of Roald Dahl and whilst both stories are good ones, Walliams ultimately lacks the flair, finesse and magic of Dahl at his best. ‘Gangsta Granny’ and ‘Mr Stink’ both have a very contemporary setting (which may swiftly date them and affect their longevity and shelf-life) and both have very domestic settings with stories leading to extraordinary turns of event. In Mr Stink, Walliams has created a wonderful character – perfect for the target age range of the majority of his readers and the denouement here is almost Dickensian in nature, however it is ‘Gangsta Granny’ which is the funniest, most effective and surprisingly, the most moving of the two novels.
The illustrations in ‘Gangsta Granny’ by Tony Ross are lovely, however they don’t quite compare with those from the wonderful pen of Quentin Blake in ‘Mr Stink’.
Both books provide plenty of good solid enjoyable fun, both have been hugely popular and both have spawned TV adaptations – but neither is quite in the same league as those by the great Roald Dahl. Whilst Walliams’ novels are clearly entertaining and accomplished, because they have a style and narratives reminiscent of and in the tradition of Dahl, they were always going to be compared to and suffer by that comparison to Dahls’ classic works.
Both stories very much influenced by and written in the tradition of Roald Dahl and whilst both stories are good ones, Walliams ultimately lacks the flair, finesse and magic of Dahl at his best. ‘Gangsta Granny’ and ‘Mr Stink’ both have a very contemporary setting (which may swiftly date them and affect their longevity and shelf-life) and both have very domestic settings with stories leading to extraordinary turns of event. In Mr Stink, Walliams has created a wonderful character – perfect for the target age range of the majority of his readers and the denouement here is almost Dickensian in nature, however it is ‘Gangsta Granny’ which is the funniest, most effective and surprisingly, the most moving of the two novels.
The illustrations in ‘Gangsta Granny’ by Tony Ross are lovely, however they don’t quite compare with those from the wonderful pen of Quentin Blake in ‘Mr Stink’.
Both books provide plenty of good solid enjoyable fun, both have been hugely popular and both have spawned TV adaptations – but neither is quite in the same league as those by the great Roald Dahl. Whilst Walliams’ novels are clearly entertaining and accomplished, because they have a style and narratives reminiscent of and in the tradition of Dahl, they were always going to be compared to and suffer by that comparison to Dahls’ classic works.
August 22, 2012
This story by David Walliams is about a young girl called Chloe who befriends the local tramp, Mr. Stink. Chloe is a lonely 12 year old girl who thoroughly hates school because she is bullied by a group of ‘cool’ girls, unfortunately her home life is unhappy too and she has a turbulent relationship with her mother and sister. Over the Christmas period Chloe plucks up the courage to approach the local tramp - much to her mother’s disgust- and they strike up a relationship. Chloe secretly moves Mr. Stink into her garden shed whilst her mother is campaigning to become a local MP, he is discovered when he knocks on the window asking for breakfast when a local newspaper are interviewing Chloe’s mother, in turn she becomes a local hero for offering the tramp a place to stay, which lands her and Mr. Stink an interview on a televised panel show. Here it comes into light that Chloe’s mother lied about allowing Mr. Stink to stay in the shed and Chloe is rightfully introduced as the kind person that offered him the shed. The relationship between Chloe and her mother and sister is restored when Mr. Stink talks to Chloe’s mother and makes her realise that the relationship between mother and daughter should be a happy one and Mr. Stink leaves to continue to wander the streets.
I liked this book because it highlights issues that children may have experienced before, such as seeing someone who is homeless or being bullied at school. I did find the book a little tedious at times but overall it was and enjoyable read and it was well written for a younger age group to understand and get pleasure from. The age group identified on the book is 9+ years, however I would suggest that it is suitable to be read to younger ages such as 6 years upwards as I think they would find it funny and give them ideas to inspire creative writing within their own work. Therefore I would suggest that it would be available for independent reading for ages 8 upwards and used to read to a class for children aged 6 and above.
I liked this book because it highlights issues that children may have experienced before, such as seeing someone who is homeless or being bullied at school. I did find the book a little tedious at times but overall it was and enjoyable read and it was well written for a younger age group to understand and get pleasure from. The age group identified on the book is 9+ years, however I would suggest that it is suitable to be read to younger ages such as 6 years upwards as I think they would find it funny and give them ideas to inspire creative writing within their own work. Therefore I would suggest that it would be available for independent reading for ages 8 upwards and used to read to a class for children aged 6 and above.
August 8, 2015
یک داستان خواندنی از رولد دالی جدید، به تصویرگری کوئنتین بلیک با ترجمه ی رضی هیرمندی! بیست و پنج سالگی که دلیل نمی شود آدم چنین معجونی را از دست بدهد، می شود؟
September 26, 2018
I loved it and it was very emotional at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2017
5 Stars! A fabulously funny look at kindness and empathy
The best bits: This was a great read-aloud class book. The children laughed heartily at David Walliams' wordsmithery, and the vivid characters peppered throughout this tale.
Some of my kids asked if the parallels between Chloe's mother and Donald Trump were intentional, and while we all had a great laugh at the brilliance of that observation, I must admit we began to see the implications of each character's actions in a sometimes more serious light.
We've been learning about conflict resolution, bullying, acceptance, emotional control, and social justice, and this book complemented our curriculum really well.
We also had lots of fun dissecting some of the sentences when focusing on punctuation and grammatical features. The humor and relevance in Walliams' language made grammar just that much "less boring" .
We work a lot with mentor sentences in my class and this book offered sooo many great, HILARIOUS examples.
We all went to see the show afterwards, and while it was a great performance (and for many the first time they'd ever been to the theatre), the book is of course a hundred times better!
Recommended for: 7-10 year olds who enjoy well-written, funny, character driven plots.
The best bits: This was a great read-aloud class book. The children laughed heartily at David Walliams' wordsmithery, and the vivid characters peppered throughout this tale.
Some of my kids asked if the parallels between Chloe's mother and Donald Trump were intentional, and while we all had a great laugh at the brilliance of that observation, I must admit we began to see the implications of each character's actions in a sometimes more serious light.
We've been learning about conflict resolution, bullying, acceptance, emotional control, and social justice, and this book complemented our curriculum really well.
We also had lots of fun dissecting some of the sentences when focusing on punctuation and grammatical features. The humor and relevance in Walliams' language made grammar just that much "less boring" .
We work a lot with mentor sentences in my class and this book offered sooo many great, HILARIOUS examples.
We all went to see the show afterwards, and while it was a great performance (and for many the first time they'd ever been to the theatre), the book is of course a hundred times better!
Recommended for: 7-10 year olds who enjoy well-written, funny, character driven plots.
March 2, 2023
4.3
.
David Walliams is brilliant and up there with the best. Fans of Roald Dahl and Kate DiCamillo will love this one. Mr Stink is hilarious, sad and heartwarming all at the same time! And the illustrations by the legendary Quentin Blake are incredible.
.
David Walliams is brilliant and up there with the best. Fans of Roald Dahl and Kate DiCamillo will love this one. Mr Stink is hilarious, sad and heartwarming all at the same time! And the illustrations by the legendary Quentin Blake are incredible.
June 4, 2021
خیلی خوشخوان و بامزه بود. بهنظرم معنای جدیدی از "ولگرد" و "بیخانمان رو برای بچهها ساخته بود. مثل اینکه واقعا نمیتونه یکجانشین باشه و باید در راه باشه و... :) و سعی میکرد از کلیشههایی که دربارهی بیخانمانها وجود داره دوری کنه.
December 14, 2022
This is a fabulous book. It is about a girl named Chloe who is very very very very very lonely as her mother barely takes any notice of her and yet her mother tries to be the best mother she can be to Chloe's little sister Annabelle. One day Chloe meets a tramp, Mr Stink, who is living in the park and although he is homeless he is the kindest person Chloe has ever met. But unfortunately Chloe's mother is driving homeless people off the streets. Can Chloe find a new home for Mr Stink? I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend this book to readers aged 9+.
December 11, 2020
David Walliams quickly becomes one of my favorite children books writer I've read as an adult. They are charming, fun but also have a slight serious tone to it. I really enjoyed Mr Stink and will save the other books for a gloomy day!
January 18, 2016
This is a similar read to Gangsta Granny, by the same author, which I preferred. Only this one is a tale about a girl, and instead of a relative she is spending time with a dirty old tramp. Mr Stink as everyone calls him, smells bad and has a small smelly dog, but is harmless and sits on the park bench every day. We see that the young girl's home life and school life is quite miserable, which is why she feels unwanted and friendless, much like the tramp in fact. This leads to some amusing adventures and even a visit to a TV studio.
There is a warning not to talk to strangers or get into cars, but at the same time we see that homeless people are people who appreciate kindness and may have had bad fortune in life. The antiheroine of the tale is in fact the politically ambitious, social climbing mother, more so as she makes much of one daughter and forgets the other, while even her kind husband is reluctant to tell her about his problems.
I was an early reader and by four I had learned from books that boys got to go out, travel and have adventures but girls had to stay in and keep house. Therefore I decided I was going to act like a boy, because they clearly had the better deal. In Gangsta Granny we see a boy who gets to plan and carry out a raid on the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. In Mr Stink we see a girl who cooks sausages, runs a bath, invites a tramp to make a home in the shed and cooks him breakfast. Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose.
There is a warning not to talk to strangers or get into cars, but at the same time we see that homeless people are people who appreciate kindness and may have had bad fortune in life. The antiheroine of the tale is in fact the politically ambitious, social climbing mother, more so as she makes much of one daughter and forgets the other, while even her kind husband is reluctant to tell her about his problems.
I was an early reader and by four I had learned from books that boys got to go out, travel and have adventures but girls had to stay in and keep house. Therefore I decided I was going to act like a boy, because they clearly had the better deal. In Gangsta Granny we see a boy who gets to plan and carry out a raid on the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. In Mr Stink we see a girl who cooks sausages, runs a bath, invites a tramp to make a home in the shed and cooks him breakfast. Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose.
October 14, 2013
What makes the book special is that there is some quite serious morality involved in the way the author puts across issues of prejudice, misconceptions and stereotypes in a way that children can understand, and hopefully learn from. This book tells the story of a young girl who befriends a dirty smelly tramp, and the resulting effects on her and her family. There is plenty of humour to appeal to children, and a deeper message about not judging people by first impressions. The pictures illustrate it perfectly, you really do fell that Mr Stink and the other characters are real. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I actually read it twice even as an adult and found it very funny! The idea of the story is brilliant and David Williams cleverly leaves little hints throughout the story which all come together at the end in a surprise twist. The humour is witty and clever throughout. This is a must read for all ages.
February 22, 2020
Why are David Williams books so ah-mazing! Totally loved little Chloe and Mr.Stink. Initially I was all like ugh why is her mum like that - how are they even together and I was getting all annoyed. But towards the end how craftfully mr.walliams is able to tell a little story within a story. I understood why they were all together and I ended up loving this little family. all families are different and you learn to appreciate that! Loved this book! Looking forward to reading more of David walliams this year!
October 12, 2020
Again another i bought for my mother, she loves reading kids books.
Mr stink. A little girl helps a homeless man by giving him sausages and letting him sleep in the girl's shed in the back garden. But her mum, dad and sister don't know about Mr Stink.
This one was a big hit. She loves it. Apparently, it's fantastically entertaining.
https://amzn.to/34PYEPW
Mr stink. A little girl helps a homeless man by giving him sausages and letting him sleep in the girl's shed in the back garden. But her mum, dad and sister don't know about Mr Stink.
This one was a big hit. She loves it. Apparently, it's fantastically entertaining.
https://amzn.to/34PYEPW
April 8, 2022
This is a heartwarming story about a young girl, Chloe, befriending a homeless person who smells. A LOT.
Everyone steers clear of Mr Stink because... Well, because he stinks.
But our little Chloe who is a sweet, caring, and sympathetic child, befriends Mr Stink and tries to help him.
Chloe also feels neglected by her mother and feels like her mother doesn't love her. (But this was solved in the end. Her mother indeed loves her very much.)
I think this book is a great read for the intended audience: who are the children. They will learn to be a kind and caring person like Chloe, will learn to be selfless, and try to help others.
Also, seeing the unlikely friendship between a child and a homeless person was unique and refreshing.
This book did get ridiculous but that's why I like David Walliams' books so much. His stories go in ridiculous directions but a good ridiculous, you know. It's unrealistic and far fetched, but undoubtedly entertaining and fun. His books are super entertaining to read and always have a bittersweet ending. Oh always with the bittersweet endings that makes my heart ache a little. 🥺
My only issue with this book was with the illustrations. They were kind of immature and unclear. I know I know, this book is for kids. But still. I wish the illustrations were more clear.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this book. I'd highly recommend this to children and also to adults.
Everyone steers clear of Mr Stink because... Well, because he stinks.
But our little Chloe who is a sweet, caring, and sympathetic child, befriends Mr Stink and tries to help him.
Chloe also feels neglected by her mother and feels like her mother doesn't love her. (But this was solved in the end. Her mother indeed loves her very much.)
I think this book is a great read for the intended audience: who are the children. They will learn to be a kind and caring person like Chloe, will learn to be selfless, and try to help others.
Also, seeing the unlikely friendship between a child and a homeless person was unique and refreshing.
This book did get ridiculous but that's why I like David Walliams' books so much. His stories go in ridiculous directions but a good ridiculous, you know. It's unrealistic and far fetched, but undoubtedly entertaining and fun. His books are super entertaining to read and always have a bittersweet ending. Oh always with the bittersweet endings that makes my heart ache a little. 🥺
My only issue with this book was with the illustrations. They were kind of immature and unclear. I know I know, this book is for kids. But still. I wish the illustrations were more clear.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this book. I'd highly recommend this to children and also to adults.
October 31, 2013
I think this book is fantastic! I enjoyed it from start to finish, Walliams has done brilliant writing, same as he does brilliant tv. His work is highly inspired by Roald Dahl, though this book isn't as cheeky or mischievous, it is backed up very well by Blakes' artwork.
The story starts with a lovely little girl named Chloe. Coming from a very rich background but having the innocence that all children have and an interest to learn about the world. She finds herself drawn to a local homeless man, Mr. Stink. After some time and stories she had heard from people, she decides to talk to him and finally work out why he lives the way he does. She learns that he is a lovely man, and the two really form a strong friendship - something Chloe didn't experience much due to the bullying at school - that leads her to offering the shed as a home for Mr. Stink to live. Her mother (who was running for office) really didn't approve, however when Mr. Stink is caught, he ends up helping her campaign. As we read through the book we learn about Mr. Stink's past. By the end of the book he has influenced the family in a very positive way, making them all more loving and caring to others.
What I particularly love about this book is the narration. I love that it comes from Chloe herself, from her eyes, and as a reader you can really embrace the story. I think that that point is particularly great for children reading it as they can understand the logic that Chloe has. The book has a very smooth flow and is beautifully put together by Quintin's illustrations. Another area that really jumped out as me was how humble and kind hearted Walliams made Mr. Stink, this would put across strong morals for socially developing children.
I could see this book being used the most within the KS2 age ranges (depending on reading ability). Just like Dahl's work, it would be great for imaginative/creative writing and also as individual reading development.
All-in-all, it is a truly lovely book to read, that I would recommend to both children and adults alike. I look forward to reading other work from David Walliams.
The story starts with a lovely little girl named Chloe. Coming from a very rich background but having the innocence that all children have and an interest to learn about the world. She finds herself drawn to a local homeless man, Mr. Stink. After some time and stories she had heard from people, she decides to talk to him and finally work out why he lives the way he does. She learns that he is a lovely man, and the two really form a strong friendship - something Chloe didn't experience much due to the bullying at school - that leads her to offering the shed as a home for Mr. Stink to live. Her mother (who was running for office) really didn't approve, however when Mr. Stink is caught, he ends up helping her campaign. As we read through the book we learn about Mr. Stink's past. By the end of the book he has influenced the family in a very positive way, making them all more loving and caring to others.
What I particularly love about this book is the narration. I love that it comes from Chloe herself, from her eyes, and as a reader you can really embrace the story. I think that that point is particularly great for children reading it as they can understand the logic that Chloe has. The book has a very smooth flow and is beautifully put together by Quintin's illustrations. Another area that really jumped out as me was how humble and kind hearted Walliams made Mr. Stink, this would put across strong morals for socially developing children.
I could see this book being used the most within the KS2 age ranges (depending on reading ability). Just like Dahl's work, it would be great for imaginative/creative writing and also as individual reading development.
All-in-all, it is a truly lovely book to read, that I would recommend to both children and adults alike. I look forward to reading other work from David Walliams.
November 5, 2017
So 2017 is the year my little Scoutie has started finding her own books.
Being the great book pusher that I am, I have slowly and meticulously made all three of my kids book junkies, feeding them the drugs I thought would best insure their addictions. The twins have long been lost to the books, off in their own worlds, chasing their highs in shabby little used book dens, occasionally scrounging together enough for a purer hit from a flashy dealer, but not beneath pulling used books out of dubious bins to get their fix.
Now Scoutie is out there digging up her own fixes; I have no need to push her anymore. And, lucky me, she is more than happy to share her dirty needles when she's finished, giving me a nice little baby buzz in the shape of David Walliams' Mr. Stink.
My girl loved the book, so I was predisposed to enjoy it, but I have to admit I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I expected it to be funnier than it turned out to be (because Mr. Walliams is, after all, an hilarious sketch comic) and far less touching. Yet wonder of wonders, it was touching without twenty packets of aspartame. In the end, everything was better for Chloe and her friend, Mr. Stink, because they had spent a brief period in each other's lives, and people around them had changed because of both of them, but not so drastically that it defied belief.
It seems, perhaps, that my little book client may have turned the tables and become my new dealer. Mr. Stink was a great find of hers, and her next hit earmarked for my forays into the shower is Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane. Yep, Scoutie has taste and an eye for good product.
Being the great book pusher that I am, I have slowly and meticulously made all three of my kids book junkies, feeding them the drugs I thought would best insure their addictions. The twins have long been lost to the books, off in their own worlds, chasing their highs in shabby little used book dens, occasionally scrounging together enough for a purer hit from a flashy dealer, but not beneath pulling used books out of dubious bins to get their fix.
Now Scoutie is out there digging up her own fixes; I have no need to push her anymore. And, lucky me, she is more than happy to share her dirty needles when she's finished, giving me a nice little baby buzz in the shape of David Walliams' Mr. Stink.
My girl loved the book, so I was predisposed to enjoy it, but I have to admit I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I expected it to be funnier than it turned out to be (because Mr. Walliams is, after all, an hilarious sketch comic) and far less touching. Yet wonder of wonders, it was touching without twenty packets of aspartame. In the end, everything was better for Chloe and her friend, Mr. Stink, because they had spent a brief period in each other's lives, and people around them had changed because of both of them, but not so drastically that it defied belief.
It seems, perhaps, that my little book client may have turned the tables and become my new dealer. Mr. Stink was a great find of hers, and her next hit earmarked for my forays into the shower is Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane. Yep, Scoutie has taste and an eye for good product.
October 4, 2011
The new book by David Walliams is funny, thoughtful and quirkily written. Life for Chloe is pretty miserable thanks to her pretentious, controlling mother. To make matters worse her mother is completely preoccupied with her younger sister, Annabelle. Desperate to find someone who understands her, she befriends Mr Stink, the local tramp with a very questionable approach to hygiene! When Chloe invites him to live in her garden shed everyone’s life is changed forever.
I did enjoy this book and found it quite heart-warming. I particularly love the relationship between Chloe and her mum which I imagine would resonate with many young girls. The influence of Roald Dahl is unmistakeable and it is also illustrated by Quentin Blake (the major illustrator for Roald Dahl’s books).
The book has some strong messages about accepting people as they are and could provide opportunities for links with PSHE/Citizenship KS2, ‘respecting the differences between people’. It could also easily link to the section ‘playing an active role as citizens’. This gloriously stinky read will appeal to readers aged seven plus.
January 25, 2014
What makes the book special is that there is some quite serious morality involved in the way the author puts across issues of prejudice, misconceptions and stereotypes in a way that children can understand, and hopefully learn from. This book tells the story of a young girl who befriends a dirty smelly tramp, and the resulting effects on her and her family. There is plenty of humour to appeal to children, and a deeper message about not judging people by first impressions. The pictures illustrate it perfectly, you really do fell that Mr Stink and the other characters are real. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I actually read it twice even as an adult and found it very funny! The idea of the story is brilliant and David Williams cleverly leaves little hints throughout the story which all come together at the end in a surprise twist. The humour is witty and clever throughout. This is a must read for all ages.
July 13, 2022
Sadly my grandma fell down the stairs during the read however I braved on to conquer mr stink. I struggled with much of the vocabulary however the stench of mr stink made me wonder how people like mr stink and jimmy can get this bad some of the life’s wonders 🌎 I recommend this book to passionate readers who would like to experience high levels of emotions am willing to share such book around out of the kindness of my heart
November 2, 2017
Amazing.Read 2016.
November 5, 2017
it was hilarious I couldn't put it down
August 8, 2019
I thought that this book was really good because it shows what a difference you can make by helping other people.
April 7, 2021
This is my favorite Walliams book, we read it 2 times in the last few years, and the beginning 4 sentences became a smile bringer among me and my kids and their friends.
June 10, 2021
خیلی دوست داشتنی و بامزه بود.
August 18, 2013
Mr Stink, was according to The Times, 'a delight', they also claim that the author; David Walliams is ' a new Roald Dahl'. Not to discredit Walliams, I personally would not compare him to a great author such as Dahl at this present time.
Mr Stink centers around the life of a 12-year-old girl named Chloe, who one day comes across a homeless man, who is described as 'the stinkiest stinky stinker who ever lived'. Mr Stink comes into the town where Chloe lives and sets up home on a wooden bench. A lot of the locals in the town were nice to him, and did give him some money here and there, but everybody was so put-off by the smell of him that they would never approach him for a chat.
This is where young Chloe comes into play. One day as she is on her way home from school, she plucks up the courage to start a conversation with Mr Stink, despite her Mother's wishes for her to never speak to tramps.
The story mostly centers on Chloe's home life, in which her Mother is so obsessed with her own image and other people's opinions of her, that she seems to neglect Chloe a lot of the time, and also her husband. Chloe's sister Annabelle however, receives much more attention, and is forced to take part in a ridiculous amount of out of school classes such as; chess society, learning Japanese, and NASA space exploration workshops, in order for others around the family to get the impression that they are a very rich and adventurous family.
The story itself did have a moral, which to me, seemed to want children to understand many of the homeless people on our streets have come from some hard times, and perhaps to be more understanding, and not to judge people based on their looks, and their smell in this case!
Mr Stink himself was in fact a Lord, and became homeless after he lost his home, his wife, and unborn child in a fire, which was an incredibly sad story, and an unexpected one at that. Mr Stink also helped to bring Chloe's family closer together which was a very warming part to the story.
The book states that it is for children aged 9 and above, which I would agree with. I think this book would be good for class reading, as the children will be able to have very meaningful discussions about the story, and may even have their own stories to share with others.
Quentin Blake provides the illustration, which really complemented the story. My only complaints for the whole book were that I did notice one spelling mistake, and also, the extra-curricular activities of Chloe's sister Annabelle were increased each day, up until the point where she attends lectures on 'a history of Victorian moustaches' at 8pm, and then has to be at a triangle lesson on Friday morning at 1am. I found this quite bizarre, but it could be useful to encourage children to come up with bizarre stories, so long as they are aware of the differences between make-believe and reality!
Mr Stink centers around the life of a 12-year-old girl named Chloe, who one day comes across a homeless man, who is described as 'the stinkiest stinky stinker who ever lived'. Mr Stink comes into the town where Chloe lives and sets up home on a wooden bench. A lot of the locals in the town were nice to him, and did give him some money here and there, but everybody was so put-off by the smell of him that they would never approach him for a chat.
This is where young Chloe comes into play. One day as she is on her way home from school, she plucks up the courage to start a conversation with Mr Stink, despite her Mother's wishes for her to never speak to tramps.
The story mostly centers on Chloe's home life, in which her Mother is so obsessed with her own image and other people's opinions of her, that she seems to neglect Chloe a lot of the time, and also her husband. Chloe's sister Annabelle however, receives much more attention, and is forced to take part in a ridiculous amount of out of school classes such as; chess society, learning Japanese, and NASA space exploration workshops, in order for others around the family to get the impression that they are a very rich and adventurous family.
The story itself did have a moral, which to me, seemed to want children to understand many of the homeless people on our streets have come from some hard times, and perhaps to be more understanding, and not to judge people based on their looks, and their smell in this case!
Mr Stink himself was in fact a Lord, and became homeless after he lost his home, his wife, and unborn child in a fire, which was an incredibly sad story, and an unexpected one at that. Mr Stink also helped to bring Chloe's family closer together which was a very warming part to the story.
The book states that it is for children aged 9 and above, which I would agree with. I think this book would be good for class reading, as the children will be able to have very meaningful discussions about the story, and may even have their own stories to share with others.
Quentin Blake provides the illustration, which really complemented the story. My only complaints for the whole book were that I did notice one spelling mistake, and also, the extra-curricular activities of Chloe's sister Annabelle were increased each day, up until the point where she attends lectures on 'a history of Victorian moustaches' at 8pm, and then has to be at a triangle lesson on Friday morning at 1am. I found this quite bizarre, but it could be useful to encourage children to come up with bizarre stories, so long as they are aware of the differences between make-believe and reality!
September 1, 2012
"Mr Stink stank. He also stunk. And if it was correct English to say he stinked, then he stinked as well…”
This is the opening line of Mr Stink by David Walliams and as it made me laugh quite a lot even from that, so I knew I’d enjoy the rest.
The book was a recommendation from my 11 year old step son, who said that he thought the only books worth reading were written by David Walliams and I couldn’t argue with praise like that!
The story follows the journey of 12 year old Chloe, who at school is being bullied and has no friends. Chloe’s home life isn’t much happier either. Chloe has an annoying younger sister, Annabelle who is very popular, especially with their mother.
Talking of their mum, she has a very controlling one who is in the middle of a very big campaign to become the local MP. To try and win her votes, she has come up with quite a few outrageous policies such as to ‘play football with imaginary footballs as real ones are a nuisance’, ‘dogs must be kept on leads at all times even indoors’ and the most outrageous one of all (according to Chloe) is that homeless people (tramps) are ‘banned from the streets in their town’. This makes life very difficult for Chloe as her new and only friend is the local tramp they call Mr Stink, who lives on the ‘bench, you know the one that’s round the corner from the bus stop?’.
To try and protect her new friend and his dog the Duchess, Chloe hides them both into the family shed at the back of their garden to live. But how long can she keep this secret? With hilarious consequences various secrets are unravelled, especially Mr Stinks’. Her new friend plays an even bigger part in Chloe’s life than she could ever have imagined as he helps mend hers.
I was really pleasantly surprised that David Walliams achieved to write such a brilliant children’s books, I’ve always been a fan of his television comedy and the humour and pace of the book doesn’t disappoint. His style is very Dahl-esq which is helped by Quentin Blake’s lovely illustrations.
I think what makes the book quite special though, is that there are some quite serious morality issues within the book such as, prejudice and bullying. However they’re all written in such a way that children can easily understand and hopefully learn from.
I would say that the book should definitely be used to encourage independent reading for years 5 & 6. However younger children would also enjoy the book and could be read to classes as a whole and maybe be incorporated into PSHE lesson’s where classes could discuss the themes such as bullying and personal hygiene.
This is the opening line of Mr Stink by David Walliams and as it made me laugh quite a lot even from that, so I knew I’d enjoy the rest.
The book was a recommendation from my 11 year old step son, who said that he thought the only books worth reading were written by David Walliams and I couldn’t argue with praise like that!
The story follows the journey of 12 year old Chloe, who at school is being bullied and has no friends. Chloe’s home life isn’t much happier either. Chloe has an annoying younger sister, Annabelle who is very popular, especially with their mother.
Talking of their mum, she has a very controlling one who is in the middle of a very big campaign to become the local MP. To try and win her votes, she has come up with quite a few outrageous policies such as to ‘play football with imaginary footballs as real ones are a nuisance’, ‘dogs must be kept on leads at all times even indoors’ and the most outrageous one of all (according to Chloe) is that homeless people (tramps) are ‘banned from the streets in their town’. This makes life very difficult for Chloe as her new and only friend is the local tramp they call Mr Stink, who lives on the ‘bench, you know the one that’s round the corner from the bus stop?’.
To try and protect her new friend and his dog the Duchess, Chloe hides them both into the family shed at the back of their garden to live. But how long can she keep this secret? With hilarious consequences various secrets are unravelled, especially Mr Stinks’. Her new friend plays an even bigger part in Chloe’s life than she could ever have imagined as he helps mend hers.
I was really pleasantly surprised that David Walliams achieved to write such a brilliant children’s books, I’ve always been a fan of his television comedy and the humour and pace of the book doesn’t disappoint. His style is very Dahl-esq which is helped by Quentin Blake’s lovely illustrations.
I think what makes the book quite special though, is that there are some quite serious morality issues within the book such as, prejudice and bullying. However they’re all written in such a way that children can easily understand and hopefully learn from.
I would say that the book should definitely be used to encourage independent reading for years 5 & 6. However younger children would also enjoy the book and could be read to classes as a whole and maybe be incorporated into PSHE lesson’s where classes could discuss the themes such as bullying and personal hygiene.
November 30, 2012
‘Mr Stink’ is a wonderfully written tale of a young girl called Chloe who befriends a witty tramp called Mr Stink. The two have a lot in common as both are incredibly lonely. Chloe is fed up of her mundane lifestyle and decides to move Mr Stink into the family’s garden shed. This does not go down too well with her Conservative MP running Mother, who would rather ban tramps or “soap-dodgers” as she calls them, from her streets.
Walliams is a comical genius, as the book is not just an enjoyable read for young children but to be enjoyed by much older children like myself! I would definitely use this book during a Key Stage 2 literacy lesson. I would get children involved in a House of Commons type debate about homelessness on the streets of London and what they would do for homeless people if they were Prime Minister for the day.
Much of the vocabulary used is quite complex. This could be a topic for discussion, for exmaple words such as incredulous, immaculately and emblazoned. I would use this book for a group of Year 4 children to encourage them to participate in creating an extended piece of writing. Making attempts to use the key vocabulary within the text.
“Mr Stink” could also be used as a core text for a group of children in Year 5 during a PSHE lesson. The children could explore issues surrounding homelessness in Britain and in other developing countries (extending this to a Geography lesson). The lesson could involve writing a letter to the Prime Minister David Cameron, suggesting changes to be made with regards to homeless people living on our streets.
I would give ‘Mr Stink’ a fantastic 5/5 as the book caters for a much wider audience than most children’s books. The story also helps children to think about the plight of homeless people from Mr Stink’s point of view and addresses common misconceptions about how people actually end up living on the streets.
Walliams is a comical genius, as the book is not just an enjoyable read for young children but to be enjoyed by much older children like myself! I would definitely use this book during a Key Stage 2 literacy lesson. I would get children involved in a House of Commons type debate about homelessness on the streets of London and what they would do for homeless people if they were Prime Minister for the day.
Much of the vocabulary used is quite complex. This could be a topic for discussion, for exmaple words such as incredulous, immaculately and emblazoned. I would use this book for a group of Year 4 children to encourage them to participate in creating an extended piece of writing. Making attempts to use the key vocabulary within the text.
“Mr Stink” could also be used as a core text for a group of children in Year 5 during a PSHE lesson. The children could explore issues surrounding homelessness in Britain and in other developing countries (extending this to a Geography lesson). The lesson could involve writing a letter to the Prime Minister David Cameron, suggesting changes to be made with regards to homeless people living on our streets.
I would give ‘Mr Stink’ a fantastic 5/5 as the book caters for a much wider audience than most children’s books. The story also helps children to think about the plight of homeless people from Mr Stink’s point of view and addresses common misconceptions about how people actually end up living on the streets.
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