The Stink series does exactly what it sets out to do: get early readers hooked on chapter books through humor, relatability, and adventures that feel big to a seven-year-old. Megan McDonald knows her audience—kids who are ready for 'real books' but still need the training wheels of illustrations and straightforward plots.

These aren't going to change anyone's life, but they're solid, entertaining, and build reading confidence at a critical age. The 4.7 Amazon rating tells you what you need to know: kids like them, parents appreciate that their kids are reading willingly, and nobody's complaining about screen time.

One heads-up: a class pet dies in one of the books, which caught at least one parent off guard. It's handled gently, but if your kid is particularly sensitive about animal death, you might want to preview or skip that one.

Overall, if you've got a 6-8 year old who needs something between 'Frog and Toad' and 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid,' Stink hits the sweet spot.