LET'S CLEAN UP!

by Peggy Perry Anderson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2002

Anderson's brightly colored cartoon art perks up this ages-old tale: Clean rooms are made to be messed. A clean room lets you find your toys, so you can pull them from their shelves and boxes and play with them, and—you bet—dump them on the floor and under the bed and anywhere your attention gets distracted by another fun object. Which is exactly what Joe the young frog does after his mother spiffs up his chamber. "I have room to ride my train. / I have room to fly my planes," yodels Joe. And he does just that, as well as set up his car racing set—wow, where did that come from?—and fly his rocket and bounce on a bed that heretofore looked liked an overstuffed Dumpster. When his mother returns to his room, she has a look on her face that signals a distinct lack of oxygen. Says Joe, "Don't worry, Mom. I have the broom." He also has a very handy open window. He requests his mom leave the room and when he invites her back, why, there isn't a toy out of place. In the room, anyway, though the backyard could use some cleaning. Same as it ever was, and what can you do but laugh, asks Anderson, whose boy frog has dined in a restaurant, thwarted a babysitter, and avoided a bath in earlier adventures (Out to Lunch, 1998, etc.). Sure, a little cooperation makes the cleaning go that much faster. But, mom or dad shall ever push the broom, at least in the proper direction. A cautionary tale—for parents. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: March 25, 2002

ISBN: 0618555234

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2002

Categories: CHILDREN'S