Washday

PreS-Gr 3—Eve Bunting's historical and fictional tale (Holiday House, 2014) gives viewers a glimpse into what washday was like in days gone by, starting with boiling a tub of water on the stove, shaving in pieces of lye soap, and then scrubbing stained clothing on the washboard and tugging them through the hand-cranked wringer. The story is narrated by Lizzie, who is recruited to help her grandmother with the laundry, since her pregnant mother is home resting. Lizzie is an experienced helper, but she expresses regret at missing the doll tea party she had planned with her best friend. After all the wash is cleaned and hung up to dry, Grandma has a surprise for Lizzie: a real tea party in her kitchen complete with tea, cookies, dolls, and Lizzie's friend Lucy. Brad Sneed's watercolor illustrations enhance this production and include period details, such as Grandma's butter churn, iron stove, and jelly jar full of roses.