I Do Not Like Yolanda

Abbott, Zoey

  • 4.09 out of 5 stars
    293 ratings by Goodreads
 
9780735266513: I Do Not Like Yolanda

Synopsis

Bianca likes stamps and writing letters and going to the post office. . . she does not like Yolanda, who works there. A relatable story about facing your fears and giving people a second chance for fans of Miss Nelson Is Missing and My Teacher is a Monster.

When Bianca gets stuck in Yolanda's line at the post office, she expects the worst: scowls, claws, teeth . . .

This is what she gets for having a five-letter day.

She might not survive . . .

Or will Yolanda surprise her?

This hilarious story explores fear and kindness, in that order, when Bianca decides to overcome her terror and ask Yolanda very nicely how her weekend was... and learns that Yolanda is not scary, she's a delight! A truly lovely book about questioning your assumptions and reaching out to another person, no matter how scary they might be.

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About the Author

ZOEY ABBOTT is a graduate in Women's Studies and History from Smith College. She spent four years living and painting in Japan. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, kids and a large dog named Carrots.

Reviews

Gr 1–2—Bianca, a young girl with pale skin and curly black hair worn back in a ponytail, writes letters, lots of them, to far-flung family and friends. She loves everything about this correspondence: the creative demands, the stamps, the walk to the post office. The only thing she doesn't like about her hobby is Yolanda, the post office clerk. In the past, Bianca had unfortunate experiences on Yolanda's line and now gets so worked up in her imaginings that she projects a monstrous Yolanda, one who eats her patrons. But on the day this story takes place, a "five-letter day," Bianca vows not to let it be ruined. She gathers her lucky charms, performs special rituals, and prepares. But it's not luck that turns Bianca's post office experience around—it's her ability to transcend her fears and take the first step in developing a friendship with Yolanda, by asking, "How was your weekend?" Yolanda reveals her true appetites: friendly conversation, a good book, and the meal she made from its descriptions. Based on an anecdote from the author's youth, this very funny story is a lovely little lesson on moving beyond things or people who scare us, and self-realization in tiny moments. Abbott's sketchy ink, gouache, and colored pencil drawings manifest Bianca's interior life through the details of her exterior life, full of little wonders that hold the reader's attention from page to page. VERDICT A book that will inspire readers to find their own pen pals, a good book, and a new friend, this is a perfect book for SEL curricula or for a new lesson on friendship. —Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter Sch., Providence

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