JUAN BOBO AND THE PIG: A Puerto Rican Folktale

by Bernice -- Adapt. Chardiet ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1973

The poor widow's son ""was such a ninny and did such silly things that everyone called him Juan Bobo -- or John the Boob,"" and he lives up to his name here when his mother goes off to church and leaves him alone with the animals. When the pig begins oinking Juan concludes that he is lonesome for Mother, but as he can't follow her to church without being ""all dressed up,"" Juan puts his mother's best dress, mantilla, shoes and jewelry on the pig and sends him off down the road. When Mother, on her way home, discovers what's left of her finery, she spanks Juan to teach him a lesson, and ""Juan Bobo never forgot that spanking. But what was the lesson? He could not remember."" Chardiet tells the anecdote ably enough and Meryman's rough black, blue and yellow illustrations are devised to keep the three characters in motion, although the woodcuts seem unsuitably heavy for so slight a tale.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1973

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Walker

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1973

Categories: CHILDREN'S