George is great at remembering things! When it's time to get ready for school, he remembers to wake up his family, put on his brand-new superhero watch, and tell his daily knock-knock joke. He even remembers to eat breakfast, brush his teeth, and find his backpack! So why does George feel like he is forgetting something? This uproariously funny picture book offers a fresh spin on a morning routine. Readers know what George forgot, but will he ever figure it out? PreS-Gr 2—Most children are apt to forget something on a typically hectic morning getting ready for school. George, however, always remembers "never to forget anything…. Except when he forgot." The only logical thing to do is to make an itemized account of everything he has to do. This begins with waking himself up in the morning, followed by waking Mom and Dad and beating his slinky down the stairs twice. Several other indispensable matters are accounted for in between, such as finding things (a raisin, popcorn, a straw) to fit in the hole where his tooth used to be and inventing a "flying backpack-putting-on machine." George's bulbous head perhaps alludes to the many things he has to keep in mind during his frenetic morning routine. The illustrations, done in perky pastel reds, pinks, and yellows, cheerfully complement the laugh-out-loud story line. Observant youngsters should be able to readily spot the one thing more embarrassing than George walking out the door without his shoes, riotously depicted without text on the final page. In some ways, this book parallels Jonathan London's Froggy Gets Dressed, though children should relate more easily to George's getting-ready-for-school routine. This selection should have a broad appeal to most youngsters and be a first purchase item for school collections. VERDICT A hilarious, first-rate picture book that's sure to capture the interests of storytime audiences who have embarked on their first day of school.—Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY "Haphazard and silly . . . A clever way to usher kids to the bus with a smile." - Kirkus Reviews "Pencil drawings are digitally colored with soft pastels that create a palette filled with both joyfulness and innocence. . . . Getting lost in George’s messiness is part of the fun as George visualizes everything he did and allows viewers to get sidetracked along with him." - BCCB "Humorous touches, including text formatting and commentary from the narrator, and colorful, playfully detailed cartoon illustrations enliven the extensive description of George’s morning . . . a lighthearted, amusing portrayal of routines." - Booklist Online Richard Byrne is the author and illustrator of This book just ate my dog! , We're in the wrong book! , and This book is out of control! He grew up in Brighton, England, and worked in graphic design before discovering his true passion in children's books.