Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers

Stink Moody, Judy's little brother, is sure he can win the Super-Stinky Sneaker Contest because he has such a supersensitive nose. When his class goes to the Gross-Me-Out exhibit at the science museum, the second grader is able to identify every smell in the Everybody Stinks exhibit, from bad breath to B.O. This ability really impresses his classmates. He becomes Mr. Nose-it-all, and he hopes one day to smell a corpse flower, which has the worst odor in the entire world. When cancellation of the contest is threatened because one of the judges is sick, Stink's teacher comes up with a unique way to save the day, but it would mean that Stink would have to give up becoming a contestant. Stink is a delightful protagonist, comical and bright, and McDonald cleverly imparts information on smells. The characters ring true. The early chapter-book format is inviting, with lots of white space, occasional illustrations, and a vocabulary that stretches but doesn't strain young readers. A funny book worthy of being added to almost any collection.