I Tidy Up… and Ask for Help — A Shared-Reading Picture Story
Story code: B11 · Age: 3–5 years · Shared reading: 5–7 minutes
Jana was five years old. She looked around her room. Books lay on the rug, blocks sat near the door, and a large basket was full of toys. “I will tidy the whole room by myself!” she said.
She began with the books, then turned to the blocks and pencils. More and more things seemed to surround her, and she sat down on the rug. “I can’t tidy everything,” she said.
She hugged her knees and took one quiet breath. “You don’t have to begin with the whole room,” Dad said. “Which small part has a beginning and an ending that you can see?” Jana pointed to the low shelf with six spaces.
She put the books away one by one, then carried the large blocks to their box. At the sixth book, she counted the spaces with her finger. The task now had an ending she could see.
The heavy basket remained. Jana tried to lift it, but it did not move. “I can arrange the shelf, but I cannot carry this basket. Will you help me with the heavy part?”
“Yes,” Dad said. “Show me where it belongs, and I will carry it.” Jana walked ahead of him to the corner, and Dad placed the basket there. “I did my part, and I asked for help with the part that was not safe for me.”
After-reading activity
Choose one shelf or box. Name the beginning and ending of the task, then ask: What can I do by myself? When should I ask an adult in my family for help?
Download the English picture book (PDF, eight pages)
The editorial review is an internal Madarej assessment; it is not a global certification, a human review, or a child trial.