The Day That Henry Cleaned His Room

From the moment reporters convene to cover the event, the cleaning of Henry's room--for the first time in a year--is a momentous occasion. Henry first chases out the creatures that have shared his space: these include mice carrying rubber bands and mismatched socks, and a possum riding a skateboard, wearing Henry's long-lost Hawaiian shirt. When the boy begins clearing out the inanimate objects he has collected, he needs help from the army, the Historical Society and a team of scientists. Finally, the room is clean, but poor Henry is understandably disoriented--and lonely. Young readers will be as pleased as Henry is when his animal roommates reappear, bringing with them a comfortable amount of clutter. Wilson's hilariously hyperbolic look at an all-too-familiar chore is sure to be a favorite with kids. They will find lots to look at--and chuckle over--in the illustrations of Henry's veritable disaster area. Ages 4-8. (June)