The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

About this book

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales is the ultimate in fractured fairy tales. Not only do the characters create their own stories, they also design the structure of the book itself. Classic fairy tales are deconstructed and rewritten with different but recognizable names, such as The Princess and the Bowling Ball, The Really Ugly Duckling, The Tortoise and the Hair and Chicken Licken. These stories and their characters intersect and create a mish-mash of narratives.

Similar grade-level books

• 
  To Kill a Mockingbird
  Harper Lee · 870L
  Get it on Amazon→
• 
  Of Mice and Men
  John Steinbeck · 630L
  Get it on Amazon→
• 
  The Giver
  Lois Lowry · 760L
  Get it on Amazon→
• 
  The Outsiders
  S.E. Hinton · 750L
  Get it on Amazon→

See all books like The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Fairy Tale/Folklore title, typically at grades 4–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on fairy tales and short stories; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Maine Student Book Award

  • recommended·4th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
  • recommended·5th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
  • recommended·6th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
  • recommended·7th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
  • recommended·8th grade · Mainesource: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.

Common questions

What grade level is The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales?

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–8. 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 Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales?

It takes about 55 minutes to read The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (52 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 55 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales?

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales appears on reading lists for Maine Student Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales banned in schools?

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales 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.

What themes does The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales explore?

Central themes in The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales include fairy tales, short stories, fairy tales, adaptations, contes de fées. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.