5 Books About Cleaning Your Room!
I was one of those annoying kids whose room was always clean. Maybe it’s the Virgo/only child part of my character, but I always kept my things in their correct place, and could tell if a pillow was in the wrong spot. (These days I WISH I were still like this!) I can even remember artfully messing up my room, strewing a tennis racket across the bed like so, thinking that I was a total dork and all the cool kids were messy. In any case, whether you have a neat or messy child, “Go Clean Up Your Room!” has probably been uttered at some point in your household. In the spirit of spring-cleaning, here are five picture books about cleaning your room (and the flip side of that, the sometimes-dire consequences of NOT cleaning your room). Now hop to it and go make your bed!
The Pigsty, by Mark Teague
What’s worse than a messy room? A room that’s a total pigsty, literally! Wendell Fultz is a bit of a slob, and his mom is sick of cleaning up after him, so she stops cold turkey. But when a heard of pigs take over his messy room, hogging his pillows and chewing up his baseball cards, Wendell starts to realize that maybe his mom was right all along… Grab a broom, Wendell, it’s time to get cleaning!
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz
Now if Alexander’s skateboard hadn’t been lying around on the floor of his room for him to trip over, would his day been quite so bad? Probably, but who’s to say? The cover of this book, which features a grumpy looking Alexander under a messy bedcover with toys all over the place, just might be one of the most iconic picture book covers ever. (And it wouldn’t be nearly as striking if everything were nice and neat!) Still, it’s arguably harder for a day to start off on the wrong foot when it begins in a neat room.
How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Apparently even dinosaurs aren’t exempt from picking up their toys! In this delightfully silly book in the popular dinosaur series by Yolen and Teague, kids will find out how dinosaurs go about cleaning up their rooms—tiny arms and all! (And if you haven’t read these other prehistoric books, I’d recommend rewarding yourself for all of your cleaning with How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?)
The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room, by Stan and Jan Berenstain
I’m starting to get the feeling that animals are as messy as children, at least judging by these picture books! This memorable entry in the classic Berenstain Bears series is perfect for siblings who have to share a room—and the cleaning duties. Hopefully this will inspire some teamwork among your cubs.
I Love to Keep My Room Clean, by Shelley Admont, Sonal Goyal, and Sumit Sakhuja
Yes, I know it’s unbelievable, but there are some kids who like, even love, to keep their rooms clean (raise your hand if this sounds like you). This book, about a little bunny named Jimmy, is a sweet way to encourage your kids to be neat, to stay organized, and to take care of their playthings.