Josie and Mr. Fernandez

After Josie bumps into a man and spills the groceries he is carrying, a nearby dog eats some of his cookies, so he buys a new bag to share with Josie.

PreSchool-K-This is a story of silly mishaps, simply told. Josie is riding her new scooter over a bridge and, as she nears the bottom of a hill, she crashes right into Mr. Fernandez, who's carrying a bag of groceries. Everything spills to the ground; he's so mad at the girl for not paying attention that he yells at her. When he has picked up his belongings and is out of sight, she finds a bag of cookies that can only be his. As she tries to find him, a dog practically attacks her, and she's forced to feed him the treats to keep him at bay. Along comes Mr. Fernandez from around the corner, looking for his cookies. Well, just when readers think that he is going to have another screaming fit, he turns into a generous gentleman and offers to buy some more for the two of them. The presentation, accompanied by rather minimalist color illustrations, is reminiscent of a bad Harold Lloyd silent film. The simplicity throughout doesn't work, and the story comes across as pedestrian and trite.
Jessica Snow, Boston Public Library
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