The Hoppingood Rabbits were just as eager to get started, but this year, there was a lot to clean up. From their laundry to their dishes in the kitchen, they would need a helping hand if they were to clean it all up in a jiffy.
“Listen up, everyone!” said mom Amelia Hoppingood. “I have some good news! The Tidyshine Turtles are going to help us with our spring cleaning. They run the Clean-as-a-Whistle Tidying Service here in Honeysuckle Hollow!”
Dad Elliott and baby Theo jumped up and down with excitement, but little Star wasn’t so sure. If the Tidyshines came to help, that would mean that they would be going through her things! And Star liked to keep her things exactly as they were.
“That must be them!” Amelia said as she opened the front door. Star watched with concern.
Standing at the door was the Tidyshine family, equipped with rubber gloves, goggles, dustpans, mops, buckets, and a whole lot of gusto. “Clean-as-a-Whistle, at your service!” Sally Tidyshine announced.
“Come on in!” Amelia replied.
Quickly, the Tidyshine Turtles spread out across the Hoppingood home, busily sweeping, scrubbing, and organizing each room. Star watched as Sally approached his bedroom, ready to make it sparkle.
“May I clean your room, young lady?” asked Sally with a smile.
Star hesitated. She didn’t want anybody touching her things!
“Don’t worry, Star,” said her mother, Amelia. “Sally is an expert! All she’s going to do is tidy things up for you, you’ll see! Your bedroom will be as good as new.”
“That’s right,” said Sally. “Come along and watch me do it! Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.”
“Alright,” said Star, reluctantly. “Show me how it’s done.”
Next, Sally picked things up off the floor. She grabbed Star’s toy trucks and teddy bears and placed them in the storage boxes in the corner of Star’s room. But Star didn’t like this, either. She liked having all her toys out on the floor where she could play with them!
Finally, Sally walked over to Star’s desk and sorted through her drawings. She stacked them carefully, then put all of Star’s loose pencils in her pencil holder. But Star was worried – her desk was where she liked to do her arts and crafts! Could she continue to draw now that her supplies were stored differently?
“This is wonderful!” Amelia replied. “What do you think, Star?”
“I don’t like it!” said Star, hands on her hips.
“Oh dear,” said Amelia. “What’s the matter, Star? Could you show us what you don’t like?”
Star hurried over to her dresser. “Well, my sweaters and my socks are sorted…” She paused and looked at her clothes, neatly folded in his dresser’s drawers, when she realized something. “So, it’s easier to find my favorite pair of socks!”
Then, Star gestured broadly at her bedroom floor. “And my floor is clean. All my toys are put away!” Star was puzzled. “So… I’ll have more room to play with my cars.” Was it so bad, after all?
Lastly, Star went to her desk and looked at how clean it was. “My drawings are all piled up and my pencils are put away.” Star paused and gave this some thought. “So, I can find all the colors I need in one place!”
“That’s not all bad, is it?” asked Amelia Hoppingood.
Star’s frown turned upside down. “I guess not,” she admitted. “Thank you, Mrs. Tidyshine!” she said with a big smile.
“It’s my pleasure!” said Sally. “What if next time, you handle your things, and I teach you how to tidy up? Would that be alright with you?”
Star beamed. “It sure would!”
