Kessy loves laundry day, when he gets to splash in the washing pool and listen to Mama’s stories. So when Mama sends him to the store for soap, he worries about what he’ll miss. He hurries to the market and begins his journey back with the biggest piece of soap they had. But his return trip is marked by one interruption after another as he meets a succession of friends and relatives, each with a problem that soap can resolve. By the time he gets back to Mama and proudly hands her the soap, his big piece has been reduced to a scrap. While Kessy’s soap may be small, he has a big tale to tell in Carole Lexa Schaefer’s delightful story set in the Truk Islands of Micronesia. Stacey Dessen-McQueen’s illustrations, in oil, pastel and acrylic, are bright and lively, with a vibrant tropical palette. Highly Commended, 2005 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 4–7)

It's laundry day on a South Pacific island, and Kessy is proud that Mama has chosen him to go to Minda's Store to buy the biggest soap. But he'll have to hurry if he wants to get back in time for the storytelling that accompanies the washing, so off he goes -- as fast as a typhoon wind! Along the way there are plenty of surprises, but Kessy returns with just enough soap to finish the wash and in time to tell stories galore from his big adventure.

Exploding with bright colors and patterns, this playful picture book celebrates the warmth of a close-knit island community and the independent spirit of its youngest member.