The Big Tidy-Up

( 8 )

Overview

JENNIFER KNEW, AS well as you That everything has its place,
But she just didn’t care a whit, a bit,
So her room was a real disgrace!
Jennifer’s mother has refused to touch Jennifer’s messy room until after Christmas Day. Free to let her room go, Jennifer turns a blind eye to the fustiness, the dustiness, and the spider’s webby empire up in the corner! Finally, one day, she can stand her own mess no longer, and gets to work— on the big tidy-up!
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Overview

JENNIFER KNEW, AS well as you That everything has its place,
But she just didn’t care a whit, a bit,
So her room was a real disgrace!
Jennifer’s mother has refused to touch Jennifer’s messy room until after Christmas Day. Free to let her room go, Jennifer turns a blind eye to the fustiness, the dustiness, and the spider’s webby empire up in the corner! Finally, one day, she can stand her own mess no longer, and gets to work— on the big tidy-up!

Editorial Reviews

Children's Literature
Jennifer's room was a mess! "Her shoe was askew on the windowsill. Her scarf was under the bed. Her beautiful box-to-keep-ribbons-in was full of old junk instead." When Jennifer's mother peeks in the room, she is shocked. "You must like to live in this mess, I guess," she said and told Jennifer that she would not touch the room with a mop and broom from now until Christmas Day. And she hung a sign on Jennifer's door that said KEEP OUT! At first Jennifer had a lovely time. She left things wherever they fell. She kept pie under her pillow. And little by little the room grew into a fusty, dusty, musty mess. Jennifer could not find socks that matched. Not one of her shirts was clean. And her hairbrush was gone so her unbrushed hair stuck out all over head. Poor Jennifer. What should she do? Run away? Or work and work for most of the day until her room was as neat as a pin and she could hang up a sign that said COME IN? Told in rhyme, kids will enjoy the awful mess Jennifer creates and the wonderful illustrations that highlight every bit of the chaos. Originally published as a Golden Book. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen
From The Critics
A little girl's messy bedroom forms the basis of this amusing tale, originally published as a Golden Book in 1970. This new edition uses a larger format that shows off the cluttered state of little Jennifer's room in grand style, with clothes on the floor, cherry pie under the pillow and her cat curled up in an open dresser drawer. The bouncy, rhyming text details Jennifer's messy habits, filling the story with humor. After Jen's mom posts a "Keep Out" sign on the door, Jennifer spends two or three days wallowing in her mess before deciding to clean up her act. Gray's illustrations of Jennifer's pink room are packed with the little girl's favorite toys and brightly patterned clothes, and the child herself, pictured with a bristly thatch of black hair, has a spunky charm. Though the story is an older one, that messy-room problem is still very much a current event. (Picture book. 3-6)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780375958212
  • Publisher: Random House Children's Books
  • Publication date: 5/13/2008
  • Format: Library Binding
  • Edition description: Library Edition
  • Pages: 32
  • Age range: 4 - 8 Years
  • Series: A Golden Classic Series
  • Product dimensions: 8.20 (w) x 10.10 (h) x 0.30 (d)

Meet the Author

Norah Smaridge wrote several books for Golden Books in the 1960s.

Les Gray has illustrated over 30 children’s books. As an illustrator for Highlights for Children Magazine, he created a mouse named Link that appears in each issue. The illustrator lives in San Luis Obispo, California.

Customer Reviews
Average Rating 5
( 8 )

Rating Distribution

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  • Posted October 18, 2011

    Great book!

    I saw this book at the library and remembered enjoying it so much as a child. I bought it to read to my 3 year old son. He enjoys it as well and often asks for it by name!

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  • Posted January 30, 2010

    A Childhood Favorite!

    This was one of my absolute favorites from childhood (back in the 70s) and I'm thrilled that it is now available as a reprint. The story of Jennifer is classic---she has a messy room and can't find anything, but then goes on a cleaning streak, and finally gets her room perfectly clean and organized. The story is motivating, and it is a great way to reinforce keeping things put away and organized with the kids without lecturing them on it. I love mine and now I read my copy to my kids. They love it too!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 27, 2009

    Childhood book revisited

    This was one of my favorites as a child, and now I've purchased it to share with my two daughters when they need a "big, tidy-up" reminder. Very cute rhyming story that is enjoyed over and over!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 26, 2008

    I was so excited to find this

    I read this to my daughter when she was a child until it split in two. I searched and searched for it but could not remember the title but remembered 'Jennifer knew as well as you' and googled it and there it was. I bought if for my granddaughter, my daughter's daughter.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 19, 2008

    What Luck!

    I am 41 this year and have been looking through my parents attic for this childhood favorite for years. I now have three kiddos of my own and am so excited to have this back on my bookshelf.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 6, 2008

    Most Favorite Book

    This is my favorite children's book! I have remembered it throughout my life. I cannot wait to share it with my kids!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 28, 2007

    favorite book of mine when i was little

    Wonderful story and illustrations, inspires you to clean up your room! My mom read it to me ALL the time to get me to clean up, now I read it to my little girl! SO excited to have a reprinted copy so I can save my original one which is falling apart. (having the same name MAY have helped the tidying up process)

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 25, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

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