El Hermano de Juan Sucio = Dirty John's Brother

PreS-Gr 2-In this simple story with an undisguised didactic aim, John is a young boy with poor personal hygiene. When a good fairy comes to visit, she is appalled by the state of his messy room and offers to clean it up. In return she asks only that he go outside to play with his brother. The good fairy assures John that his brother will recognize him and seek him out. Mystified, John goes out to his backyard and encounters a squirrel, a robin, and a cat. All of them indignantly deny any kind of kinship with the slovenly boy. Eventually, a pig saunters up and hails John warmly as his brother. He invites the boy to join him in the pigpen. Aghast, John refuses to go. The fairy reappears and offers another deal, but only if John will mend his ways. The last page shows a squeaky-clean child sitting in an immaculate bedroom. The attractive watercolor illustrations are done in a soft palette of colors. Recommended for school libraries. MOB