Kids learn how to handle their messy problems through these humorous stories.
What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night
Refe Tuma, Susan Tuma
You might have noticed weird things happening in your house. Unexplainable messes. Food all over the kitchen floor. Who could the culprits be? Dinosaurs! Boasting bright and hilarious photographs, along with a story written from the point of view of an older, wiser sibling, Refe and Susan Tuma's picture book documents a very messy adventure that shows just what the dinosaurs did last night.
Read More View in CatalogMarley: Messy Dog
John Grogan
When Mommy decides to surprise Cassie with a newly painted bedroom, Marley wants to help. But by the time he's done, the messy dog is in need of a little help himself!
View in CatalogLittle Oink
Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Little Oink is a neat little fellow. Clean, clean, clean, that's all he wants to do. But Mama and Papa won't have it! They say in order to be a proper pig, he has to learn to make a proper mess. "Don't come out until your room is a pigsty," says Papa Pig. "I won't have any child of mine going out looking so neat and clean. It's just not acceptable," says Mama Pig. Readers who hate to clean up will love this humorous twist on a universal dilemma.
Read More View in CatalogDog’s Colorful Day
Emma Dodd
Dog always seems to be underfoot when something messy (and colorful) is spilt, giving readers ten different spots on his white coat to count before book's end and Dog's bath.
View in CatalogBear’s Scare
Jacob Grant
Bear likes to keep his house clean and tidy. In fact, the only thing Bear loves more than cleaning is taking care of his small stuffed friend, Ursa. Then Bear sees a sticky spiderweb . . . and where there's a web there is certainly a spider! The messy guest must be found, but what Bear and Ursa finally discover might just be an unlikely friend. Opposites attract in this adorable book, where new friends come in all shapes and sizes.
Read More View in CatalogDirty Larry
Bobbie Hamsa
No matter what he does, Larry always gets dirty--except in the shower.
View in CatalogMark’s Messy Room
Géraldine Elschner
Carlo the cat runs away because his owner, Mark, keeps his room in such a mess.
View in CatalogRapunzel, Rapunzel, Wash Your Hair!
Steve Smallman
In Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Wash Your Hair! three princes try to rescue Rapunzel from her tower. However, Rapunzel never washes her hair so it's greasy and filthy – too slippery to climb! Luckily one of the princes is a hairdresser and knows just how to save Rapunzel and her unruly hair. This series is a welcome addition for parents looking for picture books with a message.
Read More View in CatalogThe Stinky Giant
Ellen Weiss, Mel Friedman
Pepper and Jake, sister and brother shepherds, match wits with the giant, Urk, who regularly floods their valley with his dirty washwater.
View in CatalogThis Is the House That Was Tidy and Neat
Teri Sloat
After a series of mishaps involving crumbs, drips, splatters, and spills, the neat and tidy house that Mom left is a mess.
View in CatalogBloom
Doreen Cronin
A picture book about how an extraordinary “ordinary” girl can save a kingdom with the help of a mud fairy. A glass kingdom is no place for a Mud Fairy. Bloom and her mud fairy magic might be able to turn weeds into flowers and spin sand into glass, but the people of the kingdom ceaselessly complain about the trails of dirt and puddles of mud that seem to follow her every step, and finally they cast her out. But when the glass castle begins to crack, then cracks some more, the King and Queen in a panic search for the long-banished fairy, but they can’t find Bloom anywhere. Desperate to save their home, they send their meekest, most ordinary subject, a girl named Genevieve, whose sole task until now has been to polish the Queen’s crystal sugar spoon—to coax any worthy fairy to come and save the kingdom. Genevieve finds Bloom exactly where the king and queen failed to see her, and Bloom knows exactly how to save the kingdom. But it will take the two girls working together, along with a mighty dollop of self-confidence—and some very messy hands—to accomplish the extraordinary.
Read More View in CatalogThe Pigeon Needs a Bath!
Mo Willems
The Pigeon really needs a bath! Except, the Pigeon's not so sure about that. Besides, he took a bath last month! Maybe. It's going to take some serious convincing to try and get the Pigeon to take the plunge.
View in CatalogJust a Mess
Mercer Mayer
When the little critter can't find his baseball mitt, his mother decides it's time for him to clean his room.
View in CatalogFranklin Is Messy
Paulette Bourgeois
Franklin's bedroom is so messy he cannot find his homemade toy sword so he can play knights in armor with his friends.
View in CatalogThe Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room
Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain
Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic from Stan and Jan Berenstain. Mama and Papa are frustrated that Brother and Sister can’t seem to pick up after themselves. Will the cubs ever learn to clean up their messes? This beloved story is a perfect way to teach children about tidying up, organization, and taking good care of their belongings.
Read More View in CatalogWho Wet My Pants?
Bob Shea
In this hilarious tale of blame, compassion, and forgiveness, a very embarrassed bear is reminded that accidents can happen--but with the support of good friends, life goes on. Reuben the bear's got donuts for everyone in his scout troop, but his friends are all staring at something else: there's a wet spot on Reuben's pants, and it's in a specific area. "WHO WET MY PANTS?" he shouts, and a blame game starts. His buddies try to reassure him there was no crime. Just an accident. It could happen to anyone! But as all the clues begin to point in Reuben's own direction as the culprit, Reuben must come to terms with the truth. Who Wet My Pants? isn't a potty-training book. It's a witty and wise story about embarrassment and anger, empathy and acceptance, and ultimately...forgiveness.
Read More View in CatalogThose Messy Hempels
Brigitte Luciani, J. Alison James
As the Hempels clean up their messy house in search of a whisk to make a cake, the reader is invited to participate in deciding where various objects belong.
View in CatalogHarry the Dirty Dog
Gene Zion
Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything . . . except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away. He plays outside all day long, digging and sliding in everything from garden soil to pavement tar. By the time he returns home, Harry is so dirty he looks like a black dog with white spots. His family doesn't even recognize him!
Read More View in Catalog