Also available in Spanish




D.H. FIGUEREDO was born in Cuba and has lived in the United States since he was a teenager. He is a librarian at Bloomfield College, an associate professor of literature at Montclair State University, and the author of WHEN THIS WORLD WAS NEW, published by LEE & LOW BOOKS. He lives in Piscataway, New Jersey, with his wife and two children, who helped him think of cleaning activities for this story.


LORETTA LOPEZ decided to become an artist in sixth grade, and she went on to earn her BFA at Pratt Institute. She wrote and illustrated THE BIRTHDAY SWAP and illustrated the SAY HOLA TO SPANISH series, all for LEE & LOW BOOKS. A native of El Paso, Texas, Loretta now lives in New York City, with her dog Clara, who was the inspiration for the dog in this book.

Download the CLEANING DAY Guided Reading Lesson Plan by clicking here

Guided Reading Guided reading levels were assigned by certified Reading Recovery® teachers and literacy experts using the guidelines identified in Guided Reading and Matching Books to Readers by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell (Heinemann).

Intervention Intervention levels were assigned by certified Reading Recovery® teachers and literacy experts and are intended for use in early intervention and one-on-one tutorial programs, including Reading Recovery® programs. These levels are not officially authorized by Reading Recovery®. Reading Recovery® is a registered servicemark of The Ohio State University.

DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) The DRA levels were determined using information in the Developmental Reading Assessment Resource Guide by Joetta Beaver (Celebration Press).

All level placements may vary and are subject to revision. Teachers may adjust the assigned levels in accordance with their own evaluations.