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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.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
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7104 people want to read
About the author
David Walliams
236 books3,424 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 1,099 reviews
October 6, 2025
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.
November 7, 2025
5 Stars! A fabulously funny look at kindness and empathy
The best bits: This was a great read-aloud book. Many children will laugh heartily at David Walliams' wordsmithery, and the vivid characters peppered throughout
The book explores a range of complex issues such as conflict resolution, bullying, acceptance, emotional control, and social justice, in an age-appropriate, and often funny, way without lecturing the reader.
Recommended for: 7-10 year olds who enjoy well-written, funny, character driven plots.
The best bits: This was a great read-aloud book. Many children will laugh heartily at David Walliams' wordsmithery, and the vivid characters peppered throughout
The book explores a range of complex issues such as conflict resolution, bullying, acceptance, emotional control, and social justice, in an age-appropriate, and often funny, way without lecturing the reader.
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.
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.
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.
March 4, 2016
Spicuiri din recenzia finala care se gaseste pe blogul meu
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Povestea este cea a unei familii scoase parcă dintr-o caricatură de Quentin Blake: mama, doamna Fărâmă – candidată pentru Parlamentul Marii Britanii, mereu mai elegantă şi mai ridicolă decât este cazul, cu părul întotdeauna ţeapăn din pricina fixativului şi cu taiorul perfect călcat, sora Annabelle, pricepută nevoie mare la activităţi extraşcolare care se întind pe patru pagini printre care: dans, step, jazz contemporan, break-dance, hip-hop, krumping, mers pe picioroange, pictură pe broaşte de porţelan, antrenament pentru Turul Franţei, stagiu pe lângă un neurochirurg, cântat la oboi, sărituri cu schiurile in Elveţia, olărit în avion,, înot pe Canalul Mânecii, kick-boing thailandez, întreţinerea motocicletelor, fabricarea lumânărilor, îngrijirea vidrelor etc., tatăl – un pasionat de muzică prins într-o fabrică şi Chloe, o fetiţă de 12 ani care într-o zi intră în vorbă cu Domnul Sconcs rămânându-i datoare cu niscavai cârnaţi şi, temporar, Domnul Sconcs însuşi, vagabondul de pe bancă, cel care face baie o singură dată pe an şi a cărui poveste se dovedeşte cutremurătoare, unicul aliat al lui Chloe într-o lume în care mama o desconsideră, sora îi face zile negre, tatăl nu o poate ajuta, iar colegele de şcoală o necăjesc mereu.
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Povestea este cea a unei familii scoase parcă dintr-o caricatură de Quentin Blake: mama, doamna Fărâmă – candidată pentru Parlamentul Marii Britanii, mereu mai elegantă şi mai ridicolă decât este cazul, cu părul întotdeauna ţeapăn din pricina fixativului şi cu taiorul perfect călcat, sora Annabelle, pricepută nevoie mare la activităţi extraşcolare care se întind pe patru pagini printre care: dans, step, jazz contemporan, break-dance, hip-hop, krumping, mers pe picioroange, pictură pe broaşte de porţelan, antrenament pentru Turul Franţei, stagiu pe lângă un neurochirurg, cântat la oboi, sărituri cu schiurile in Elveţia, olărit în avion,, înot pe Canalul Mânecii, kick-boing thailandez, întreţinerea motocicletelor, fabricarea lumânărilor, îngrijirea vidrelor etc., tatăl – un pasionat de muzică prins într-o fabrică şi Chloe, o fetiţă de 12 ani care într-o zi intră în vorbă cu Domnul Sconcs rămânându-i datoare cu niscavai cârnaţi şi, temporar, Domnul Sconcs însuşi, vagabondul de pe bancă, cel care face baie o singură dată pe an şi a cărui poveste se dovedeşte cutremurătoare, unicul aliat al lui Chloe într-o lume în care mama o desconsideră, sora îi face zile negre, tatăl nu o poate ajuta, iar colegele de şcoală o necăjesc mereu.
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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.
June 17, 2025
Jeff Bezos tripped me up so I would have time to meet my reading goal
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!
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