"I've lost my MARBLES. Understand?!
NOW HEAR THIS:
Dad will mow the vacuum!
Baby, rock the mop!
I mean Sarah,
mop the Bobby!
I'll fish the floor.
Wait!
Stop!"
Oh, oh! Grandma is on her way and the house is a big mess. There's a bunch of stuff that will need to be done before her arrival. Dad gets right to work divvying up the jobs by making a list in magnetic letters on the fridge: mop the floor, scrub the dishes, vacuum the rug, feed the fishes, mow the lawn, sweep the mat, rock the baby, and bathe the cat. Each of the tasks is doable in quick time. Wait! Did anyone ask the cat? It is obvious from its countenance that having a bath should not have made the list.
A wordless spread at this point in the story shows an orange paw messing with said list. While the other dad and children are not taking their roles seriously, first dad is miffed at the lack of progress with only one hour to go. Keeping to the list, Sarah will feed the floor, Dad will sweep the dishes, Bobby will rock the rug. It is obvious to readers and listeners what the cat has done, even if no one saw the list being changed.
When the task becomes 'mow the cat', the list changes again. Kids will howl at the nonsense. Still, no needed work is being done. Oh, my! Vacuuming the cat certainly does not seem an acceptable option.
"Nothing is going as I planned!
This list is TOTALLY out of hand.
I've lost my MARBLES.
Understand?!"
Kids who are readers will be rolling on the carpet. They will be shouting out the scrambled list with great delight. Dad finally collars the cat, as Grandma is about to burst through the door. The tasks unscrambled, everyone gets at the jobs to be done, and just in time!
David Roberts' illustrations are done in pencil and watercolor. The bright colors, clever expressions, and constant movement ensure rapt attention. The attempts to heed the list of constantly changing tasks become more frenetic as time runs out. Goofy, rhythmic and an absolute delight to read aloud.
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