THE BIG SQUEEZE

Written by Molly Harris

Illustrated by Alison Hawkins

(HarperCollins BYR; $19.99; Ages 4-8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the publisher:

“A hardworking sponge…has a BIG job. She washes and mops and scrubs away all the messes in the kitchen. But what happens when the mess gets TOO BIG and she just CAN’T clean anymore?”

 

From Kirkus:

“Harris’ debut is a humorous foray into cleaning routines with a valuable message about avoiding burnout.”

 

Review:

In The Big Squeeze, an enthusiastic sponge helps around the sink, washing dishes, brushing away crumbs, and cleaning up spills …

 

 

 

 

until she becomes weighed down (and stinky) with all the gunk she’s absorbed. Suddenly, she could no longer do what she was made for. She’s a mess in more ways than one!

 

 

 

With a little help from her friends, Sponge is soon back to work …

This time, remembering to rest and lean on her friends to help share the load.

 

 

 

 

This cute, SEL debut featuring anthropomorphic kitchen cleaning items from Molly Harris gently tackles self-care with a relatable story. Add the lively illustrations by Alison Hawkins, which exude friendly humor, and the variety of colorful characters imbued with engaging personalities, and you’ve got a winner for families, classrooms, and libraries!

 

• Reviewed by Roxanne Troup