A Lot of Beans (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: A Lot of Beans Hope Morrison Varela, Barry. A Lot of Beans; illus. by Sebastià Serra. Harper/HarperCollins, 2011. [32p]. ISBN 978-0-06-079397-5 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad 6–9 yrs. Set in a Spanish mountain village, Varela’s original tale introduces Juan Fernandez de Villavicencio, a seven-year-old boy with an unusual daily ritual that he learned from his father. Every evening, Juan puts a single bean into a large jar, white for a good day and black for a bad day, and over the years, he’s saved up a lot of beans. Lately, however, Juan has been having more black-bean days, and he fears that he is in fact becoming “a Miserable Wretch.” His parents are naturally concerned, even taking him to the doctor for a thorough examination. What finally breaks Juan out of his funk is a surprise birthday party at which his parents cook up all of Juan’s beans into soup (the white-bean soup is called “Happiness Soup” and the black bean is called “Misery Stew”). There are lots of relatable moments in the text, particularly in the string of bad days (Juan stubs his toe, spills ink, steps in goat poop, loses his trunks at the neighborhood pool), and listeners will get a kick out of poor Juan’s humorously portrayed struggles. The story goes on way too long for its audience, though, and it loses much of its kid-centered appeal in the heavy-handed ending; Juan’s concern that too many bad days will turn him into “a Miserable Wretch” (versus “a Happy Youth”) is also a bit adult in its perspective, though there is some humor in Juan’s decision to count the beans to determine which one he is. Serra’s illustrations are slick and overbusy, but they capture much of the bustle and energy of the mountain town as well as effectively portraying Juan’s increasing states of despair. The food theme brings the story additional utility, and youngsters may find some interest in the notion of measuring up the good and bad of their days. Recipes for both Happiness Soup and Misery Stew are included. Erratum Copyright © 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois