Here’s another hilarious children’s book by author Jon Scieszka.  The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales.  If the title doesn’t crack you up already, the stories most certainly will.

I remembering finding this book funny when I was a kid.  Reading it again now that I’m a lot older, I found it to be rolling on the ground hilarious.  Perhaps that means my humor has gotten lamer over the years, or maybe the child in me just never grew up.

I think the first time I heard of this book was in the 5th grade.  I vaguely remember my teacher reading it and cracking up while she was doing so.  Sure it was funny then, but when I reread it about a day or so ago I definitely laughed out loud, drawing a bit of unintentional attention to myself while I was reading it in the library.  People who saw me must have thought I was a little off my rocker since I was so obviously reading a children’s book, but I’m sure if they read it (or remember it) they’d understand.

My favorite parts probably have to be, of course, the story of The Stinky Cheese Man, Chicken Licken, and pretty much just about any page where the Red Hen showed up.  If I ever have kids, I’ll probably try and buy this for the permanent shelf, if I can manage it find it anywhere at a decent price.  (On a slightly unrelated note, it’s ridiculous how much some of these out-of-print children’s books are being sold for.  For example, someone is selling a “collectible” copy of Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game on Amazon.  Really?  I find that to be ridiculous.)

FINAL VERDICT: A

Again, like the other Jon Scieszka book I reviewed, I’m not entirely sure I can call this one a classic, but I do think