The Great Stink
by Colleen Paeff
Assigned across 1 curriculum list
The Great Stink by Colleen Paeff is assigned in US schools at grades k–5. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where The Great Stink is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
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- Grade range
- Grades K–5
- Pages
- 44
- Reading time
- about 50 minutes (est.)
- First published
- 2021
- Genre
- Children's
- ISBN-13
- 9781534449305
New to these terms? Reading levels by grade
More formats & details
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book! Discover the true story about the determined engineer who fixed London’s pollution problem in this funny, accessible nonfiction picture book featuring engaging art from the illustrator of Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine. It’s the summer of 1858, and London’s River Thames STINKS. What is creating this revolting smell? The answer is gross: the river is full of poop. But the smell isn’t the worst problem. Every few years, cholera breaks out, and thousands of people die. Could there be a connection between the foul water and the deadly disease? One engineer dreams of making London a cleaner, healthier place. His name is Joseph Bazalgette. His grand plan to create a new sewer system to clean the river is an engineering marvel. And his sewers will save lives. Noth
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Why widely assigned
This Children's title, typically at grades k–5. Written in the 2020s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Where this book is assigned
Golden Kite Award
- recommended·Kindergarten gradesource: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 2022 Winner
- recommended·1st gradesource: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 2022 Winner
- recommended·2nd gradesource: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 2022 Winner
- recommended·3rd gradesource: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 2022 Winner
- recommended·4th gradesource: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 2022 Winner
- recommended·5th gradesource: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 2022 Winner
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Common questions
- What grade level is The Great Stink?
- The Great Stink is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–5. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- How long does it take to read The Great Stink?
- It takes about 50 minutes to read The Great Stink (44 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 50 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign The Great Stink?
- The Great Stink appears on reading lists for Golden Kite Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is The Great Stink banned in schools?
- The Great Stink does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
Why this book is on this list
How we classifyHide
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades K–5 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: read-aloud.