Got kids who won't wash up? Put this book in their grubby little mitts. Using big, clear photographs and simple, declarative sentences, Minden lays out the why-we-wash basics. If the book has a fault, it's that it takes this basicness too far: sentences like "Germs are in the dirt" are a little worrisome in their vagueness, while that microscope image of germs comes off like sci-fi without a bit of explanation. Mostly, though, this succeeds in its goal of educating without resorting to preaching or shaming. The opening photo is a winner little girl proudly displaying her muddy palms. From there we charge through three chapters: "A Handful of Germs," "How to Wash," and "When to Wash," the last of which includes five answers (after playing with toys, using the bathroom, playing with pets, playing outside, or before eating). The final sentence encourages reflection: "When will you wash?" The back matter, including a long list of words found in the book to connect to literacy learning, is unusually robust.