The Smelly Giant

The story encourages children to think about difference, how their behaviour affects others and the impact of teasing and bullying behaviour. This would be a useful teaching resource and discussion starter around empathy, care and thought for others, criticism and ostracism, and love and forgiveness. Written originally in Maori, the story is underpinned by values of manaakitanga and aroha, respect, consideration towards others, goodwill, whakaaro nui and forgiveness. The story is available in te reo Maori and English language editions.

Giant Toe Jam has a huge problem – his smelly feet. No one wants to be around him, and he’s teased all the time. But Toe Jam has a big heart, and with his little friend, he does something extraordinary.In this picture book, gentle, clever Toe Jam grows to be huge, and this causes a problem in his community because his feet smell. The bigger he gets the worse the smell. While Toe Jam helps others and wants to be part of his village, everybody teases him and avoids him, and Toe Jam becomes very lonely. Finally, the people make him leave and live far away. Toe Jam never loses his kind heart, and when there are floods, wild winds and droughts, he returns to help his people. But each time, the people take his help then send him away again. Until, one day, when Toe Jam saves the people from an eruption, they finally understand their behaviour and see Toe Jam’s goodness.