Juan Bobo Goes to Work

Citation: Montes, Marisa. 2000. Juan Bobo goes to work: a Puerto Rican folktale. Hong Kong: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0-688-16234-7

Plot Summary: Juan Bobo is a simple minded little boy who just can't seem to get anything right. He means well, but sometimes that just isn't enough. Being paid with food or money Juan Bobo can seem to mess any and everything up! That is until, with every dog and cat in the neighborhood following him he passes a sad rich little girl. He unknowingly makes her laugh and is repaid for a lifetime by her father. Critical Analysis: Marisa Montes has retold the story of Juan Bobo in a special way. Juan Bobo is the Puerto Rican equivalent to the European Lazy Jack. The young boy who cannot seem to get anything right. Everything for Juan Bobo is quite literal. If his mother tells him to put the days' pay on his head, assuming it was milk in a jar, he'll put it on his head even when it's a block of cheese; melted and all. One has to wonder if Juan Bobo is a special child or just a little boy who does not listen. In the story are a couple of colorful loveable characters such as Juan Pepe and Senor Domingo. They try their hardest to employ Juan Bobo and give him good earnings for the day, but working with Juan Bobo can be work in itself. "First tie up la vaca," said Don Pepe. "Then milk her and set la leche aside" on Done Pepes return he cried, "Juan Bobo, the cows legs are tied. She cannot walk like that!" Set in a small village in Puerto Rico the actions of the villagers are a close group of individuals who try to help each other. This is a reoccurring theme in Latino literature. The interlingual use of Spanish is used wisely. In its' use it gives the reader self imposed definitions that follow the text. There is a glossary just in case you don't get it. Monte really connects this tale to Puerto Rico, by using words like jibaro, Puerto Rican country folk, and habichuelas, meaning beans. It seems like something small, but Spanish speakers to Mexico do not use those terms. The terms Montes chose to use are very regional. This gives a lot of ownership and connection to the story. Joe Cepeda created illustrations with oil paints and vibrant colors. It is easy to see why this was an honor book for the Pura Belpre illustrations award. Accessed Reviews: Booklist: In this Puerto Rican parallel to Lazy Jack, Juan Bobo has the same problems with coins, milk, cheese, and other payments as his English counterpart. When Juan makes the rich girl laugh, however, her father repays him with a ham every Sunday. This altered ending fits the setting but occurs abruptly. Otherwise, the funny, well-paced retelling smoothly incorporates Spanish words and phrases. Most are easily understood in context, but an appended glossary provides pronunciations as well as definitions. An author's note adds cultural background about Juan Bobo but cites no specific source for the story. Using bold, bright Caribbean colors, Cepeda's oil paintings amplify Juan's silliness and charm. Brush strokes add texture, and background details establish the Puerto Rican setting. An obvious candidate for multicultural units, this will be popular wherever children love to laugh. Linda PerkinsCopyright © American Library Association. Accessed www.amazon.com 6/24/07Horn Book Juan Bobo (Simple John) sets out to find a job--first with the farmer, then with the grocer. Despite his mother's instructions, the silly peasant boy gets everything wrong and loses his coins and food on the way home every day. But his antics, comically illustrated, are rewarded when he makes an ill rich girl laugh. An author's note gives information about this popular Puerto Rican folktale character. A pronunciation guide is included. Accessed www.titlewave.com 6/25/07 Connections: Grimm, Jacob. Grimm's complete fairytales. ISBN: 0760703353 Montes, Marisa and Yuyi Morales. Los gatos black on Halloween. ISBN: 0805074295 Montes, Marisa. Egg-Napped! ISBN: 0060289511