The Great Tidy Up

Summary

The story follows the playful and imaginative interactions between Khwezi and her little brother Mzamo as they embark on a cleaning adventure while their grandmother, Gogo, takes a nap. Initially reluctant, Mzamo is persuaded by his big sister's enthusiasm, turning what seems like a chore into an exciting activity. Together, they clean various parts of the house, including tidying toys, sweeping, washing dishes and windows, polishing floors, and doing laundry. Their efforts are rewarded when Gogo reveals she has been watching all along, proud of how responsible and helpful they have been. The story underscores themes of responsibility, cooperation, and the joy of helping others, presenting cleaning as an enjoyable and rewarding task.

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‘We are going to have so much fun while Gogo is having a nap,’ says big sister Khwezi.

‘Ooh, yes!’ says little brother Mzamo.

‘What will we do?’

‘We will clean the house for Papa and Mama while they are out.’

‘That’s no fun,’ says Mzamo.

‘Uh uh, no. Not me. I don’t want to clean up!’

‘But Papa and Mama will be so proud.

Let me show you how much fun we will have!’ says Khwezi.

‘First, we will put the toys away!’

‘Now we will sweep the stoep!’

‘Now we will wash the dishes!’

‘Now we will wash the windows!’

‘Now we will polish the floor!’

‘Now we will wash the clothes!’

‘Now we will hang the clothes up!’

“SURPRISE!”

‘I have been watching them the whole time, and they have been little angels!’ says Gogo.

Credits

Originally published by Book Dash under a Creative Commons Licensed BY 4.0. This book can be read for free on https://bookdash.org/books/the-great-tidy-up and was created by: Ashlyn Atkinson (Designer), Margot Bertelsmann (Editor), Corinne Rosmarin (Writer), Jess Jardim-Wedepohl (Illustrator) Book Dash logo