Fantasy
Art: illustrations rendered in oil and vinegar ( )

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales follows the grand tradition of children's writing of pervasive metahumor. Like Animaniacs and other shows, The Stinky Cheese Man manages to become as enjoyable read for adults as it is for the children they're reading to. Slapstick humor and explosive artwork will grab the children's attention, while subtle jabs at culture and the nostalgia of slightly twisted fairy tales will have the adults laughing along with the kids. The metahumor goes so far as to make the book self aware, with characters interrupting the front matter, the table of contents confirming Chicken Licken's doomspeak. This is a great book for the whole family. ( )

Booklist starred (Vol. 89, No. 1 (September 1, 1992))
Horn Book starred (Fall, 2002)
Kirkus Review starred (1992)
All the above reviews can be read on Title Wave: http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID...

the stinky cheese man and other fairly stupid tales is one of my all time favorite childrens books! ive been reading this book since i was in elementary school. it is a collection of fairy tales told in stupid ways, and even some that are completely off base from the original. for example, the little red hen just pops out every once in while griping that its taking too long to tell her story. jack, form jack and the beanstalk, is the narrartor throughout the book, he is shown to be the producer of the whole mess, and lets the reader in as if the reader is his partner in crime. it is a very funny book, and often, i like these versions of the stories better anyway. this book could definately be used in alot of ways because its really so open, a teacher could use it to open up a fairy tale lesson, or even just bounce through the book and tell the stories that would apply to the situation. also, this book would be a good example how good books can be written very silly. ( )

This story requires a familiarity with fairytales as it spoofs a few of them, such as The Little Red Hen, Rumpelstilskin, and The Ugly Duckling. I found the storyline too much on the sarcastic side for me and somewhat of a "loud" style of writing. I enjoyed the illiustrations and how they display the story more than the words. Some story parts seem framented to read as the font changed abruptly to illustrate the action in the story. Overall, this story is clever.

Awards:
Caledecott Honor Book ( )