Books like The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

If you liked The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, read Math Curse or Smoky Mountain Rose — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka (Fairy Tale/Folklore · grades 4–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of fairy tales, short stories, and fairy tales, adaptations. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

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Why each is a match

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Math Cursegrades 4–8
Is by Jon Scieszka, the same author, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Smoky Mountain Rosegrades 3–5
Shares themes of fairy tales, same genre (Fairy Tale/Folklore), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Once They See You: 13 Stories to Shiver and Shockgrades 4–8
Shares themes of short stories, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Legend of Mackinac Islandgrades 2–8
Same genre (Fairy Tale/Folklore), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
The Wishing Spellgrades 3–8
Shares themes of fairy tales and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
A Tale Dark and Grimmgrades 4–7
Shares themes of fairy tales and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Ella Enchantedgrades 4–7
Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Giants Bewaregrades 3–5
Shares themes of fairy tales and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabangrades 4–8
Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Holes660L
Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

  • Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by O'Malley, Kevin · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of fairy tales and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (1990s).
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (1990s).
  • The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of fairy tales and overlapping grades (3–7).

Books like The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

  • Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (1990s).
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (1990s).
  • The Giver by Lois Lowry · 760L — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, overlapping grades (6–8), and the same era (1990s).
  • The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of fairy tales and overlapping grades (3–7).

Book data last updated 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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