Reviewed by: David Leonhardt, MyShelf.com
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The cover says it all. Debra Lynn Lovitt's illustration of an incredibly messy room, with a young boy throwing his hands up in despair, makes the title almost redundant.

Actually, the story is about a trip to the zoo. A trip young Georgey really wants to take with his class. A trip he can take only with a signed permission slip. A trip he can take only if he can find his permission slip in his messy, messy room.

Along the way, readers discover just how much can be lost - and found! - in a messy room. Susan Younan Attiyah spins a sweet, adorable tale that reminds me just a little too much of real life. After all, isn't "Clean your room" a mantra that parents are resigned to repeating with annoying frequency? But this story is told from a child's point of view to help him learn how important it is to keep his room clean. And maybe that will help parents escape the "Clean your room" mantra.

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David Leonhardt is the author of Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness.