From Publishers Weekly
Plourde's (Wild Child) zany portrait delivers a puckish message about nonconformity along with a classroomful of giggles. Josephina Caroleena Wattasheena the First is the only kid in class who isn't dressed for picture day she's too busy with her toolbox, "fidgeting, fiddling, fuddling, and foopling." Her research leaves her classmates' best clothes spattered with sawdust and oil. The photographer lines the class up and tries to take their picture ("Birdie wants a cheesy cheesy") only to be confronted with more "fidgeting, fiddling, fuddling, and foopling." But when his camera doesn't work, who should fix it but Josephina? In waggish cartoon spreads and vignettes, Wickstrom (Hiccup Snickup) provides clouds of smoke, drifting feathers and 23 children with big smiles and a lot of missing teeth. A winning snapshot of an unconventional heroine whose curiosity saves the day. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2-It's picture day, and everyone arrives dressed to the nines. Everyone, that is, except Josephina Caroleena Wattasheena the First, who had "more important things to think about." What she cares about is not pretty bows or jewels and jackets, but, rather, how the gearshift on the bus works, or the electric pencil sharpener, or the sprinkler system at school. Of course, finding out how these items work takes some "highfalutin fidgeting, fiddling, fuddling, and foopling" on her part, which always spells disaster for the other students in the class. As the day goes on, they get progressively dirtier as the girl continues to take things apart. When the photographer arrives and his camera won't work, it's Josephina, of course, who comes to the rescue. The zany, colorful, cartoon illustrations complement the child's eccentric nature, showcasing a multiethnic classroom fully engaged in her antics. While the text can be wordy at times and some pages verge on busy, children will enjoy Josephina's story. It may even relieve some pre-photo jitters.
Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
