Juan Verdades: The Man Who Couldn't Tell A Lie

by Joe Hayes, Joseph Daniel Fiedler (Illustrator)

A wealthy rancher is so certain of the honesty of his foreman that he wagers his ranch.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Folklore

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Designated New Mexico Eminent Scholar by the New Mexico Commission on Higher Learning (1979).

Joe was the youngest of five children. His father loved to tell stories. The family moved to Arizona where Joe learned to speak Spanish which became an integral part of his storytelling and writing.

In 1979, he began to devote himself full time to sharing stories. He focuses on elementary school audiences although his work appeals to a wide range of ages.

In 2001, he traveled to Cuba participate in a translation workshop sponsored by Writers of the Americas.

For children and adults alike, Joe's storytelling sessions outside the tepee at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe are a summer tradition that has continued for over 25 years.

Other facts:
*Youngest of five children
*Graduated from University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in English.
*Taught at Sunnyside High School in Tucson, Arizona and also in Los Alamos, NM.
*Employed in mineral exploration work, working all over the western U.S. as well as in Mexico and Spain.
*Delivered the Commencement address at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at U.C.L.A.
*Currently lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Reviews

[Doaa Mohamed]

very interesting story.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer]

This tale takes place in New Mexico, but I recently came across a version that takes place in Hungary ("Mighty Mikko" in Jane Yolen's folktale collection Mightier Than the Sword). Juan Verdades never lies, and cleverly finds a way to tell the truth even when he is tricked. I like the way Joe Hayes retells the tale, and will look for more of his books.

[Dawn Michelle]

Filled with muted, gorgeous illustrations,, this was a very good book with good lessons within the story. The note at the end was good to and added to the overall story. I liked this one very much.

[Kristin H.]

This is a great book especially for a multicultural classroom. I would recommend it for 1st- 9th grade. It is the story of a very honest ranch hand who cannot tell a lie. Even when he is tricked he tells the truth, and he ends up coming out on top.

[Violet]

I enjoyed reading this book as well. It gives a great message, and the ending is my kind of ending as well. Juan Verdades could not lie, and so two ranchers decided to bet the own ranches to see if Juan could lie or not. I think children will really like reading this story.

[Susan]

Good read-aloud book with nice artwork. It was good to read to a sick child who otherwise might not have sat through a long-ish story.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams]

I love how Juan Verdades is so honest. I love that because of his honesty his employer loves and trusts him. I love how, because of his honesty, a girl falls in love with him. I love that because of his honesty he wins a windfall of good luck. And I love that because of his honesty, he is able to marry the girl of his dreams. I believe that when people know we are 100% honest, opportunities open up for us right and left. I loved the book! And I hope to see much more from Joe Hayes.

[Veronica Bergstrom]

Bilingual children's book

Didn't realize it was a kids book initially, but love that it's completely translated in English and Spanish. Juan verdades is more than just a children's story. It's used more often than I realized in everyday conversations.

[Maya]

I always appreciate a bilingual book. This version of the tale was rendered thoughtfully and in a lovely fashion from author and illustrator. I appreciated the choice to make the daughter strong and smart. Read the author's note at the back for a richer understanding of this tale.

[Raquel Rodriguez]

one of my favorite books from my childhood. Rediscovered it today and reread. The beautiful simplicity of the story still holds up, the drawings are lovely as well. So happy to still have it in my possession and will treasure it for years to come 💕

[James Biser]

This is a story about telling the truth. The point of the story is based on a play on words. Integrity is important. Puns and word play are poor plot points.

[Assem]

its verry magnifecent

[Sam]

Values put to the test. Honesty, faith, integrity.

[Yormynnelly]

Beautiful pictures, lovely tale, excellently told.

[Flavs]

Really good book.

[Padmashree Rajagopalan]

An interesting book about a man who couldn't tell a lie. He's very honest with the work that his owner gave him. But would he be like that every time?

[Joscelynne]

it was a very interesting story i loved it.