Smelly Socks - Munsch

Smelly Socks
By Robert Munsch
Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Scholastic Books 2004
Smelly socks - the story behind this story

Tina wants to buy some new socks. But her mother is too busy and they don't have a car. It's a long way around to the nearest bridge to get to the sock shop. So Tina asks her grandfather to row them across the river to the sock shop.

Tina loves her new coloured striped socks so much that she refuses to take them off. After 10 days Tina's mother said she needed to wash them or they would start to smell. Never said Tina. I will never take them off. After 20 days the other students on Tina's class started telling Tina to wash her socks. Never said Tina.

After 30 days a flock of Canada Geese flying over the house all dropped out of the sky from the smell. Two moose fell over from the smell. Ducks, raccoons, squirrels and a skunk all fell over as Tina passed by walking to and from school. Finally the kids in Tina's class had had enough. They grabbed Tina one day, dragged her down to the river and held her down as they removed the socks and washed them. The fish all played dead and floated on top of the water. The beavers left the river and went to live with Tina's grandfather. And people complained that the river even smelled of dirty socks.

Once the socks were clean, Tina was very happy. Wow she said. They look clean, the smell clean and they feel clean. The animals that had fallen over from the smell, all got up and went back to their business.

Tina went home and showed her nice clean socks to her mother.
My socks are nice and clean and I think it would be very nice if you took me to town to get me a nice new coloured striped jersey. she said.
Promise to wash it? her mother asked?
NO, said Tina. If I wait long enough, the kids at school will wash it for me.