Review of “Axel Washes the Rug” by Tuula Pere

Score: 91/100 (9.1 out of 10)

If life has taught us anything, it's that problems don't come alone, they often come in battalions!

A slight lack of patience and a small moment of indecision causes an otherwise minuscule problem to snowball in Axel Washes the Rug by Tuula Pere!

Shenanigans and hysteria ensue when little Axel, during a routine visit to his grandma's house, accidentally knocks over a bowl of blueberries when he becomes too impatient to eat them. Attempting to hide the mess from his grandmother, he attempts to pick up the blueberries only to find that they've left streaks on the carpet!

UH OH!
OH, NO!

What is little Axel going to do?

Afraid that he'll get in trouble, Axel attempts all sorts of remedies and solutions to his problem including flipping the carpet over, then waiting until his grandmother falls asleep to try different cleaning solutions including harsh, abrasive ones like bleach!

UH OH!

OH, NO!

Little does little Axel realize that if he were to just be upfront and tell his grandmother what happened, she would be understanding, forgive him, and even find an easier solution to the problem!

This is a familiar situation to anyone who has been a kid and has made a little boo boo (mistake). Sometimes, you do everything except the one thing you should do (be honest and transparent) because you're afraid of upsetting someone, particularly someone you love and care about. Because of that, you allow your little problems to become avalanches, snowballing on themselves, growing bigger and bigger until they are out of control.

Actually, adults are guilty of that too. Have you misplaced, lost, or broken something at work, then left without telling anyone for fear of facing embarrassment or repercussions? Have you told a white lie to a loved one only to have it snowball into a bigger, bigger, and less believable lie that comes back to bite you?

Often times, it's just to be truthful, honest, and transparent.

And, hey, maybe this could be a problem that the two of you could work on together (the way that Axel and his grandma do)!

We may have not been the biggest fans of the illustrations or the art style, but they do their jobs. The main thing is that they facilitate a very familiar and heartwarming story that's sure to resonate with many!

Check it out on Amazon!