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Stinky’s Stories #5: Cindersmella

By Chris Grabenstein, J.J. Grabenstein, Alex Patrick

On Sale: 5/5/2026

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Cindersmella is the fifth installment of the Stinky’s Stories series, a hilarious and highly illustrated chapter book set from New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein and J.J. Grabenstein!

It’s story time again at Hickleberry Elementary with Stinky the stuffed skunk. This time, the kids are reading Cinderella! Everyone knows the story ends with Cinderella marrying the prince, but only Stinky knows what happened after they got engaged! In Cindersmella, Stinky tells the story of the disgusting mess that became of the evil stepsisters’ house, why you shouldn’t eat a poison apple pie, and just how stinky a pair of glass slippers can get.

Filled with sweaty feet, sabotage, and a lot of bad apples, Cindersmella is the latest offering in the hilarious chapter book series from New York Times bestselling authors Chris and J.J. Grabenstein, with illustrations in every chapter from Alex Patrick. Reading has never been so much stinkin’ fun!


ISBN: 9780063469662
Imprint: HarperCollins
On Sale: May 5, 2026
List price: $8.99
No of pages: 96
Trim Size: 4.710 in (w) x 7.170 in (h) x 1.040 in (d)
BISAC 1: JUVENILE FICTION / Readers / Chapter Books
BISAC 2: JUVENILE FICTION / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations
BISAC 3: JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories

Chris Grabenstein

Biography

Chris Grabenstein is the multiple award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Haunted Mysteries, Welcome to Wonderland, Smartest Kid in the Universe, and Dog Squad series. He also wrote The Island of Dr. Libris, Shine! (with his wife, J.J.), the picture book No More Naps!, and many, many other books, plays, and audiobook originals. Chris and J.J. Grabenstein live in New York City with two cats and lots of ideas. You can visit Chris at chrisgrabenstein.com.

J.J. Grabenstein

Biography

J. J. (Myers) Grabenstein is an author, stage actress, and award-winning audiobook narrator. With her husband, Chris Grabenstein, J.J. coauthored the acclaimed middle grade novel Shine! The duo now collaborates on the early reader series Stinky’s Stories, both cowriting and narrating each book.

A graduate of Northwestern University, J.J. quickly made a home in New York City, appearing in Broadway tours and starring in the Off-Broadway musical comedy Nunsense. She has recorded more than twenty audiobooks—everything from nonfiction to romance novels—but her favorite books to record are children’s books. For the recording of Chris Grabenstein’s ghost story The Crossroads, she won AudioFile magazine’s Earphones Award. An Audie Awards finalist in 2021 for Stuck, J.J. has also voiced several radio and TV commercials.

J.J. and Chris live in New York City with their two cats, Luigi and Phoebe Squeak.

Alex Patrick

Biography

Alex Patrick was born in the Kentish town of Dartford in the southeast of England and has been drawing for as long as he can remember.

His lifelong love for cartoons, picture books, and comics has shaped him into the passionate children’s illustrator he is today. Alex loves creating original characters—he brings an element of fun and humor to each of his illustrations and is often found laughing to himself as he draws.

Cindersmella is the fifth installment of the Stinky’s Stories series, a hilarious and highly illustrated chapter book set from New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein and J.J. Grabenstein!

It’s story time again at Hickleberry Elementary with Stinky the stuffed skunk. This time, the kids are reading Cinderella! Everyone knows the story ends with Cinderella marrying the prince, but only Stinky knows what happened after they got engaged! In Cindersmella, Stinky tells the story of the disgusting mess that became of the evil stepsisters’ house, why you shouldn’t eat a poison apple pie, and just how stinky a pair of glass slippers can get.

Filled with sweaty feet, sabotage, and a lot of bad apples, Cindersmella is the latest offering in the hilarious chapter book series from New York Times bestselling authors Chris and J.J. Grabenstein, with illustrations in every chapter from Alex Patrick. Reading has never been so much stinkin’ fun!


ISBN: 9780063469662
Imprint: HarperCollins
On Sale: May 5, 2026
List price: $8.99
No of pages: 96
Trim Size: 4.710 in (w) x 7.170 in (h) x 1.040 in (d)
BISAC 1: JUVENILE FICTION / Readers / Chapter Books
BISAC 2: JUVENILE FICTION / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations
BISAC 3: JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories

Chris Grabenstein

Biography

Chris Grabenstein is the multiple award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Haunted Mysteries, Welcome to Wonderland, Smartest Kid in the Universe, and Dog Squad series. He also wrote The Island of Dr. Libris, Shine! (with his wife, J.J.), the picture book No More Naps!, and many, many other books, plays, and audiobook originals. Chris and J.J. Grabenstein live in New York City with two cats and lots of ideas. You can visit Chris at chrisgrabenstein.com.

J.J. Grabenstein

Biography

J. J. (Myers) Grabenstein is an author, stage actress, and award-winning audiobook narrator. With her husband, Chris Grabenstein, J.J. coauthored the acclaimed middle grade novel Shine! The duo now collaborates on the early reader series Stinky’s Stories, both cowriting and narrating each book.

A graduate of Northwestern University, J.J. quickly made a home in New York City, appearing in Broadway tours and starring in the Off-Broadway musical comedy Nunsense. She has recorded more than twenty audiobooks—everything from nonfiction to romance novels—but her favorite books to record are children’s books. For the recording of Chris Grabenstein’s ghost story The Crossroads, she won AudioFile magazine’s Earphones Award. An Audie Awards finalist in 2021 for Stuck, J.J. has also voiced several radio and TV commercials.

J.J. and Chris live in New York City with their two cats, Luigi and Phoebe Squeak.

Alex Patrick

Biography

Alex Patrick was born in the Kentish town of Dartford in the southeast of England and has been drawing for as long as he can remember.

His lifelong love for cartoons, picture books, and comics has shaped him into the passionate children’s illustrator he is today. Alex loves creating original characters—he brings an element of fun and humor to each of his illustrations and is often found laughing to himself as he draws.