Big Stinky Read

Can’t get your little stinkers to read?

Try this!

We’re aiming to get as many children in Leicestershire to read Mr Stink by David Walliams at the same time, between 24th June and 4th July 2011.

Suitable for children in years 5-7, boys and girls, book worms and reluctant readers alike, the story addresses the issue of homelessness in a fun if stinky way.

We’re being supported by booksellers so once we know how many books we need, we can let you know how your school and students can take advantage of their very generous offers, with free books for children in receipt of free school meals.

It’s really easy to join in the fun.  Just register your school and let us know roughly how many children will be taking part.

Once you’ve completed the registration form, all you have to do is

1. decide over which weekend your school will be participating: 24-27 June or 1-4 July
2. download a poster and customise with your Big Stink activities
3. tell everyone about the Big Stinky Read and Action Homeless in your school newsletter
4. download a sponsorship form and print one for each participating pupil
5. hold your own BIG STINKY READ
6. collect your sponsorship money so that your school can send a cheque or postal order to Action Homeless, then visit this page to find out how much we raised.

Take a look at the Big Stinky Read activity ideas below to get you started.  And, for more ways to you can support the essential work of Action Homeless, please visit our page for schools.

Ideas For A Big Stink

Come to school in stinky fancy dress

Hint: how about a dressing as a bulb of garlic, a worn sports sock or trainer, a Pepperami?

Make your own scratch ‘n’ sniff bookmarks

Tip: use scented felt pens or pencils then colour over with wax crayon to scratch away later

Hold  a stinky spelling bee

Hint: can you spell smelly, foul, putrid, rank, malodorous, stench, whiffy?

Have a stinky bake sale

Hint:  garlic bread, camembert muffins, salami pizza, samosas, bhajis, yum!

Make a giant class collage of Mr Stink

Tip:  take a look at fruit and vegetable faces painted by the artist Arcimboldo then think about what stinky resources you could use

Have a Mr Stink reading aloud relay around your class

Tip: allocate pages before the event so you can practice in advance

Write your own Mr Stink play using the book as a starting point

Tip: get small groups to write a chapter each then allocate parts and perform the chapters in sequence for a whole school assembly

Paint a portrait of Mr Stink

Hint: how stinky can you make him look?